Feature Article
FUSO eCanter launched to Zero Emission Area Trial participants
The event precedes the arrival of the first FUSO eCanter stock, due in May, with five of the units dedicated to Auckland Transport’s Queen Street Valley Zero Emissions Area (ZEA) Trial, which is headed by participants Mainfreight, Bidfood, Team Global Express (formerly Toll Group Logistics), Owens Transport and Vector OnGas.
The day-long event saw a full demonstration of the FUSO eCanter, including test drives, as well as providing a great insight into developments and trends around EV technology and power infrastructure, particularly from a transport operator perspective.
Fuso NZ's head of sales and customer experience Kathy Schluter said that it was a great occasion to continue collaboration and share knowledge.
"We would very much like to thank everyone for participating, particularly the insights gained from Andrew Renton from Transpower, EECA’s Camilla Cochrane, Liz Yeaman from Retyna, and Greg Nelson from Auckland Transport. The knowledge shared was invaluable and created some great discussions amongst the group" said Schluter.
"We're all excited to finally see FUSO eCanter arrive and go to work in the Auckland CBD. It is ideal for inner city delivery, easy to drive, produces zero emissions and is virtually silent, which is a huge benefit for local residents and workers. The ZEA trial very much sets the scene for the future, particularly for these early adopters, who have joined us on this journey leading the charge.”
FUSO eCanter is the first series-manufactured electric truck from an OEM globally, and is backed by three million kilometres of real-world testing and evaluation.
“We are delighted to be the first to bring New Zealand a zero-emissions delivery truck, which includes fully integrated advanced safety systems. This is a project we have focused on for a number of years and we are looking forward to getting these units out to work for our customers,” said Schluter.
“We’d love to hear from operators interested in integrating a FUSO eCanter into their fleet.”
Advanced safety
FUSO eCanter’s sustainability credentials are matched by its exceptionally high safety standards. A range of crash avoidance technologies ensure greater protection for drivers and other road-users, while an ergonomic design and car-like functionality place premium importance on driver comfort.
Active Emergency Braking System – helps avoid or mitigate collisions with pedestrians and other vehicles, using a radar to monitor the road ahead.
Lane Departure Warning System – reduces the risk of lane departure accidents, using a camera behind the windscreen to detect lane markings and trigger an alert if the vehicle crosses with no indicator.
Electronic Stability Control – employs multiple sensors to detect loss of steering control and apply brake force at each wheel, which aids steering control and improves stability.
Innovative drivetrain
FUSO eCanter is driven by a permanent synchronous electric motor, powered by an 81kWh (420v) lithium-ion, liquid-cooled battery pack. It delivers an impressive 135kW and 390Nm, which provides a range of 100-150km on a single charge – well-suited to around-town delivery routes.
Two-stage regeneration captures kinetic energy created by the vehicles momentum and stores it in the batteries for future use. Efficient use of the regeneration settings will extend the practical range of the FUSO eCanter.
The electric drivetrain is fitted to a standard 3,400mm wheelbase FUSO Canter cab chassis, meaning customers and bodybuilders will be working with the same, familiar 750mm wide frame.
A standard CCS2 plug is used for charging, with downtime minimised thanks to DC fast charge capability that will have the battery at 80% capacity in less than one hour. FUSO eCanter comes equipped with an AC charge cable (max 32A), which will allow a full charge overnight using off-peak power.
