Tokyo Motor Show Venue for E-Fuso Vision One
In what is beginning to look like a good ol’ fashion western shoot out, Daimler outdraws Tesla in the fight to become the first to introduce a big rig battery-electric truck. Daimler Trucks and its subsidiary, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus, debuted the E-Fuso Vision One electric heavy-duty truck at Tokyo Motor Show on Wednesday. It’s part of a plan to electrify all of Mitsubishi Fuso’s large vehicles in the future.
The E-Fuso Vision One concept is a Class 8 truck with an enclosed cargo area, called a trailerless or “straight” truck. The electric heavy-duty truck concept has a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of about 23 tons and carries a payload of approx. 11 tons, only two tons less than its diesel counterpart. Daimler said it can be fitted with a range of battery packs with capacities of up to 300 kilowatt-hours, which would enable a range of 210 miles on a single charge.
“Our E-Fuso Vision One is an outlook on a feasible all-electric heavy-duty truck. It underlines our commitment to electrify our complete product range,” commented President and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Head of Daimler Trucks Asia, Marc Llistosella.
Electric Trucks Have Special Uses
The expected applications for the Vision One include intra-city, regional distribution in mature markets such as the U.S., Europe and Japan “within four years.” It’s also a solution for trucking companies in cities that are set to ban internal combustion engines.
And then there’s Tesla. After several cancelled introduction dates of its electric Class 8 truck, the Silicon Valley company announced it was delayed once again from today (Thursday, Oct. 26) until sometime in November. The reason, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is the automaker’s severe production problems with the Model 3 and the company’s efforts to rebuild Puerto Rico’s electric grid following Hurricane Maria. Meanwhile, engine maker Cummins showed off its heavy-duty electric powertrain option in August and Toyota has been continuing to test its fuel cell electric Class 8.
In addition to the E-Fuso Vision One, Fuso also showcased its eCanter, the first series-produced all-electric medium-duty truck, which was launched in New York City last month. The eCanter has a GVW of 7.5 tons and a range of about 62 miles on a single charge. eCanter has already been delivered to customers in Japan, including the convenience-store Seven-Eleven, and Japan’s largest delivery-logistics provider, Yamato. Customers in the United States that have ordered the electric truck include United Parcel Service (UPS), and several NGOs, including Habitat for Humanity, Wildlife Conservation Society and The New York Botanical Garden.
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus is part of Daimler AG’s Daimler Truck division, the world’s largest truck and bus manufacturer. Daimler also owns Freightliner and Detroit Diesel in the U.S.
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