Australia will be one of a few markets were the electric truck will be trialled
Daimler Truck and Bus will be bringing the Fuso eCanter to Australia in 2017 for a local fleet trial.
The all-electric truck, which has been on show at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hannover, Germany, will be tested with “key customer fleets next year,” Fuso Truck and Bus director Justin Whitford says.
“We are excited to be able to conduct a local trial with the groundbreaking all-electric Fuso eCanter in Australia,” he says.
The Australian trial will be part of a small production run of the eCanter, which will see vehicles trialled in Europe, Japan, and the US.
An updated version of the Canter models that were tested in Portugal and Germany in late 2015 and early 2016, the new eCanter features a permanent synchronous electric motor with an output of 185kW and 380Nm of torque and a standard single-speed transmission.
Fuso says the truck’s engine is powered by a 70kWh-capacity battery, which should offer a 100km range depending on the load and usage.
When it comes to the load, the 7.5-tonne eCanter promises to accommodate 4.63 tonnes. However, Fuso says the capacity can be customised depending on the customer’s battery requirement.
“The concept is based on the experience that for some operators, payload is more important than range, while others are happy to sacrifice payload for longer range, i.e. more battery packs,” Fuso says.
The truck maker also says there are options for customers charging their vehicle.
“Equally adaptable are the charging options: up to 80 per cent capacity within an hour with direct current at a quick charging station, or 100 per cent in seven hours with alternating current,” Fuso says.
“In future, rapid charging with 170kW will also be possible in only half an hour, meaning 80 per cent battery capacity.”
When it comes to the looks of the eCanter, the display model at the IAA event this week features a metallic blue and grey paintjob, LED headlamps, and a unique grille and bumper design.
Inside the eCanter, Fuso has also fitted a removable tablet.
With goals for it to be on sale in the market in the near future, Fuso says the eCanter will be listed at a “competitive price”.
It will be more expensive that the diesel equivalent, however, the truck maker says its lower running costs will make it cost effective in approximately three years.