Minister drives Fuso eCanter in Japan

Energy and resources minister Megan Woods took a Fuso eCanter for a spin while inspecting its Kawasaki headquarters in Japan.

She was part of a New Zealand Government delegation touring Fuso headquarters and gaining an overview of its zero-emission truck and bus programme.

The ministerial delegation included five business partners with expertise in the energy, sustainability and hydrogen sectors, as well as secretaries and advisors.

They were hosted by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation board chairman Kazuo Matsunaga and his team of high-level executives and product experts.

The delegation toured the factory and had an in-depth overview of the Daimler Truck and Fuso pathway to a complete range of battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles.

The Fuso eCanter, the world’s first series production fully electric truck was front and centre, with some delegation members like Woods driving it.

Fuso New Zealand managing director Kurtis Andrews thanks Woods for checking out Fuso’s zero emissions progress.

“Fuso New Zealand is keen to play a central role in assisting New Zealand achieve its mission to decarbonise the freight transport industry while managing the ever-increasing freight task, so we are excited Dr Woods and the other key stakeholders were prepared to invest the time in learning about this pivotal technology,” he says.

“For customers wanting to get on with developing their eDelivery strategy, and not in a position to wait until at least 2024, we do still have some stock of the current generation eCanter, which has been snapped up by organisations such as Mainfreight, Bidfood, Toll Global Logistics, Fulton Hogan and PlaceMakers.”

Andrews says these businesses have recognised that the sooner they understand the technology, the better placed they will be to implement it across their businesses in the medium-term.

Fuso New Zealand is an Auckland-based, locally owned business appointed by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation (MFTBC) in 2016 as the sole authorised distributor of Fuso trucks, buses and genuine parts in New Zealand.

Since 2011, Daimler has held a stake of 89.29%.

The Fuso eCanter became Daimler’s first series-produced all electric light-duty truck and was released in New Zealand in 2021.