Fuso New Zealand is welcoming news that its industry-leading eCanter has been given a vote of confidence in the Government’s latest funding round for zero emission vehicles.
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) awarded Fuso NZ a total of $742,019 for projects involving six eCanters.
This includes $242,519 to purchase and fit out an electric 7.5t eCanter for extended-test drives by potential customers through its dealers. The truck will be tested with various charging options and include the use of Fuso’s “eTruck Ready” app along with education and training.
In a sperate project, it also received $499,500 to carry out a one-year e-truck trial with five eCanters and chargers with major transport companies in the proposed Auckland Transport Queen Street Valley Zero Emissions Area (ZEA). The project will generate data collected by EROAD and insights to inform future policy development for implementing the ZEA for urban freight, and high visibility.
Energy and resources minister Dr Megan Woods says “demonstrating and proving the potential for electric heavy vehicles is important, as heavy freight has an outsized impact on transport emissions”.
Fuso New Zealand managing director Kurtis Andrews says the eCanter is the first series-manufactured electric truck from an OEM globally and has over a million kilometres of real-world testing and evaluation behind it.
“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,” Andrews says.
“Fuso eCanter is ideal for inner city delivery. It is easy to drive, produces zero emissions and is virtually silent, which is a huge benefit for inner city residents and workers.
“We’d love to hear from operators interested in integrating a Fuso eCanter into their fleet,” he says.
Advanced safety
Fuso eCanter’s sustainability credentials are matched by 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
The eCanter is driven by a permanent synchronous electric motor, powered by an 81kWh (420v) lithium-ion, liquid-cooled battery pack. It delivers 135kW and 390Nm, which provides a range of 120-150km 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. The eCanter comes equipped with an AC charge cable (max 32A), which will allow a full charge overnight using off-peak power.
