Daimler launches electric Canter globally in New York

Daimler Truck’s Fuso brand is launching the world’s first series production all-electric truck, the eCanter globally in New York.

The Fuso eCanter has a range of 100km and a load capacity up to three and a half tonnes – depending on body and usage. The vehicle’s electric powertrain contains six high-voltage lithium-ion battery packs with 420 V and 13.8 kWh each. It uses CCS charging.

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) announced UPS as its first commercial customer for the eCanter, and it is also providing vehicles to four nongovernmental organisations (NGO) in cooperation with the New York attorney general.

“While everybody is talking about electric trucks, we are the first actually to commercialise a series produced all-electric truck,” says MFTBC president and chief executive officer Marc Llistosella.

“Having a long history in alternative drivetrains, we are proud to step into this new era. Our eCanter comes with years of customer testing, and the assurance of parts, services, and warranty through our global Fuso dealership network,” says Llistosella.

The Fuso eCanter will be delivered to customers starting this year in the US, Europe, and Japan. MFTBC is planning to provide 500 units of this generation to customers within the next 24 months. Larger scale production is intended to start in 2019.

“Our new FUSO eCanter now addresses the increasing global demand for products to meet and exceed high CO2 emission standards. It offers an attractive and cost-effective alternative to combustion engines and makes electric trucks key to the future of inner-city distribution”, says Llistosella.

MFTBC says the company’s first US commercial partner for the eCanter, UPS will use the zero-emission trucks with an eye to moving their fleet toward being more sustainable.

“At UPS electric trucks are making our fleet both cleaner and quieter, adding to our already more than 8500 alternative drivetrain vehicles in service today, says UPS global fleet maintenance and engineering president Carlton Rose.

“We have a long-standing global relationship with Daimler, and we welcome the opportunity to trial the Fuso eCanter as UPS continues to realise the benefits of electric trucks,” says Rose.

In coordination with the office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Fuso also will supply a fleet of eCanter trucks to locally based not-for-profits, including Wildlife Conservation Society, New York Botanical Garden, Habitat for Humanity New York City, and Big Reuse Brooklyn.

To celebrate the launch, Fuso set up a temporary installation in New York City’s East Village called “Energy Station of the Future.”

The event was the perfect backdrop for Fuso vision of how using the zero-emission, zero-noise eCanter will help transform New York City, and other urban areas, into cleaner and quieter places for daily deliveries.

The all-electric light-duty truck is MFTBC’s answer to the public’s need for a zero-emission, zero-noise truck for continuously increasing inner-city distribution.

The company says it is cost-efficient and economical for users, as already proved by customer tests in Europe.

The Fuso eCanter benefits from the extensive experience of customer trials conducted in Portugal and Germany with the pre-series vehicles between 2014 and 2017.

In May of 2017, MFTBC announced its first commercial customer for the new in-line series production vehicle in the Japanese market. Seven-Eleven Co., Ltd. will be operating 25 units of the eCanter in their fleet.