Daimler Truck subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Bus and Truck Corp. just launched their next-generation eCanter electric box truck in Hong Kong. It’s the first release of a new-generation Fuso in the Asian market outside of Japan.
Mitsubishi Fuso left the US market in 2020, but before it did the company spent the better part of two decades at or near the top of the American medium-duty box truck market. In Europe, Indonesia, Taiwan, and New Zealand, the company has continued to put together solid sales, and trucks like this latest all-electric eCanter model are one of the reasons why.
The new Fuso is available in 3 versions (S, M, and L, naturally, with different battery packs) and 7 variants, covering GVW ratings between 5 and 8.55 tons. All three are powered by a compact 110/129 kW (approx. 172 peak hp) e-axle capable of pushing the boxy truck to an electronically-controlled top speed of 55 mph.
Mitsubishi 129 kW e-axle
The new Fuso no speed demon, in other words – but the company claims its electric drive train makes the eCanter capable of climbing up 20% grades while fully loaded, and that’s definitely not nothing.
Fuso eCanter variants
In addition to getting the same compact e-axle, each of the new eCanter models will be offered with safety features like Active Sideguard Assist 1.0 and Active Attention Assist to support driver and pedestrian safety in Hong Kong, is one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world. Driver safety ratings, energy management software, and geofencing round out the vehicles’ fleet-friendly software offerings.
Upfitters should be happy, too – a motorized ePTO offers power extraction similar to what’s available in Fuso’s existing diesel trucks. Mounted under the eCanter’s cab, it can drive the same hydraulic pumps and refrigeration compressors as its diesel counterparts without modification, making adoption of the eCanter into existing fleets an easy chore.
To make that adoption even easier, the Hong Kong government has set up a $1.1 billion (HKD) New Energy Transport Fund to subsidize the integration of commercial electric vans and trucks into existing fleets. This latest Fuso is expected to be eligible once those subsidies go into effect.
Electrek’s Take
Electrifying the commercial truck fleet is a key part of decarbonizing city truck fleets – not just here in the US, but around the world. The eCanter seems to be a great product for moving stuff around densely packed city streets, and it’s just too bad we won’t get to see them stateside.