Hino will use the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show as the launch pad for a number of hybrid and full electric powertrains
November 28, 2011
Japanese truck manufacturer Hino will use the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show as the launch pad for a number of hybrid and full electric powertrains, including a concept based on the current 300 Series Hybrid sold in Australia.
Hino Australia’s product strategy manager Alex Stewart says the Tokyo show will include a number of technologies that could be offered in Australian products.
As well as production ready versions of the 300 Series Hybrid, called Dutro in Japan, the stand will include a plug-in Hybrid 300 Series, a S’ELEGA hybrid premium bus and the eZ-CARGO concept.
The eZ-CARGO is Hino’s take on an all-electric delivery vehicle designed for CBD operations. Among its features is a large, flat cargo area with a lightweight and compact exterior body, while the full-electric drive train adds no pollution to congested urban areas.
Although in countries such as Australia where electrical power is generated by burning fossil fuels, this merely shifts the emissions to a different location.
The 300 Series plug-in hybrid extends the existing commercially available concept further by adding more powerful storage batteries charged from an external source, extending the electric power operating range.
“Hino’s stand at this year’s Tokyo show is of significant importance for Australian customers as it showcases a number of potential hybrid and electric propulsion technologies we are likely to see in the future,” Stewart says.
“We’re looking forward to sharing new hybrid and electric truck and bus technology with customers in the near future, along with Hino’s considerable engineering expertise in this field.”
Look for an in-depth report on new commercial vehicle technologies at the Tokyo Motor Show in the January edition of ATN.