Who thought that hybrid vehicles had to be small and clunky? Commercial vehicle manufacturer Fuso, a member of the Daimler group, clearly has other ideas.
It has introduced a heavy duty hybrid truck inJapanwith the vehicle to debut at the Tokyo Motor Show. Based on the technology of the Canter Eco Hybrid it features a conventional diesel engine; electric motor/generator; lithium-ion battery pack; and related control software; while achieving a 10 per cent improvement in fuel economy compared to diesel-only vehicles.
Fuel efficiency and emission reductions are achieved partly because an electric motor functions as a generator to brake the vehicle when slowing and this converts brake energy into electric energy which is returned to the lithium-ion battery.
According to Gustav Tuschen, the vice president of product engineering at Fuso, early evaluation shows that hybridisation can benefit heavy duty trucks in long haul operations, particularly as they move up and down hills. They also tend to run much longer distances than light commercials; and so the benefits of hybrid vehicles quickly accumulate.
Now the challenge for Fuso is to ensure there are significant lifecycle cost benefits and it is focusing on minimising the weight of the hybrid system.
