Aussies trialing all-electric Fuso Canter in 2017

Key Fuso Truck and Bus fleet customers in Australia will be trialing the all-electric Fuso eCanter in 2017.

Fuso revealed the third generation of the world’s first all-electric light-duty truck at the recent IAA Commercial Vehicles Show. The eCanter features an upgraded drive system and a new design.

A small series production run of the eCanter revealed in Germany will also be delivered to Fuso customers in Europe, the US and Japan next year.

Fuso Australia Truck and Bus director, Justin Whitford says the eCanter will be a key component in the Fuso range expansion plan and will be joined in-market by some new products under full test environment.

“We are excited to be able to conduct a local trial with the all-electric Fuso eCanter in Australia,” says Whitford.

The new eCanter uses a permanent synchronous electric motor with an impressive output of 185 kW and torque of 380 Nm. Power transfers to the rear axle by a standard single-speed transmission.

The vehicle features a battery capacity of 70 kWh. Depending on the body, load and also usage, a battery range of more than 100km without stationary recharging is possible.

The batteries are spread over five units, one centrally in the frame right behind the cab and two more on each side of the frame.

They are water-cooled lithium-ion batteries that feature a long service life, high efficiency, especially at high ambient temperatures, and also compact design of the battery units. Despite the weight of the battery pack, the 7.5-tonne Fuso eCanter has chassis load capacity of 4.63 tonne including the body and load.

Fuso is planning individual battery packs with three to six sets of batteries of 14 kWh each for the upcoming small-scale production run.

This battery packaging allows the eCanter to meet customer requirements with regards to range, price, and weight.

The concept recognises that for some operators, the payload is more important than range, while others are happy to sacrifice payload for longer range, i.e. more battery packs.

Equally adaptable are the charging options: up to 80% capacity within an hour with direct current at a quick charging station, or 100% in seven hours with alternating current.

In future, rapid charging will allow for charging of 80 percent battery capacity in just half and hour using a standard Combo 2 plug (known as Combined Charging System).

The exhibition vehicle features a unique and attractive design, with LED headlamps and also a distinct grille and bumper, and a redesigned interior including a central, removable tablet.

The spacious comfort cab is painted in metallic blue, while the fully-clad sides are anthracite gray with a blue LED strip. A walk-on glass floor in the exhibition vehicle’s box body offers a view of the drive unit and the batteries.

The Fuso eCanter’s locally zero-emission drive will not only reduce the impact of exhaust and noise emissions on city centres, but will also be an economically attractive alternative to diesel engines.

Thanks to lower technology costs, the eCanter can be offered at a competitive price at market launch. Lower running costs compared with an equivalent diesel model mean that any additional expense may repay in around three years.

Coupled with maintenance costs which are around 30% lower, this makes the Fuso an economical solution for customers. These vehicles have proven their suitability for daily use in short-radius distribution and urban transport.

The eCanter joins the diesel-electric Canter Eco Hybrid in the Fuso portfolio. Series manufacture of the Canter Eco Hybrid began in 2006, while the second generation has been in production since 2012.

Fuso presented the first production of the electrically powered Canter E-Cell at the IAA 2010, with the second generation following in 2014. The all-electric Fuso eCanter celebrating its world premiere at the IAA this year marks the third generation of the vehicle.