Hino has reaffirmed its commitment to its hybrid diesel-electric trucks and with over 700 hybrid-electric trucks already on Australian roads, Hino has been gaining local experience in low-emission trucks for more than 15 years.
The Hino 300 Series hybrid-electric light-duty range draws upon technology from the wider Toyota Group which has been proven in millions of its hybrid vehicles worldwide.
The Hino 300 Hybrid incorporates what is now a mature technology with no recharging requirements and its range is not affected provided diesel fuel is available.
As road transport globally heads towards a net zero emission future, Hino’s Hybrid is immediately able to provide a sizable reduction in diesel fuel consumption with a corresponding reduction in emissions.
Overseas, Hino continues to work on its Project Z battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks for light and medium duty applications and late last year Toyota completed its joint venture exercise with PACCAR to develop heavy duty trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
“Our hybrid-electric models meet Euro VI exhaust emission standards and recent real-world trials comparing the Hino hybrid-electric truck against a traditional diesel equivalent revealed a 22 per cent reduction in fuel use and CO2 emissions,” says Daniel Petrovski Manager-Product Strategy Development at Hino Motor Sales Australia.
Rising fuel prices and an increased focus from customers wanting to minimise their environmental impact has seen sales of Australia’s only hybrid-electric light-duty truck increase significantly and Hino has expanded the range of hybrid-electric products to include new Alloy Tray and TradeAce built to go models.
Greater savings are achievable depending on the application of the hybrid vehicle and how it is driven.
Hybrid electric operators also benefit from a reduction in maintenance costs as the electric motor replaces the diesel engine’s starter motor and alternator, and the regenerative braking reduces the use of service brakes and increases the life of the brakes, all while charging the Hybrid batteries.
“Hino 300 Series Hybrid customers can reduce yearly maintenance costs by up to 16 per cent,” says Daniel Petrovski. Technically, the Hino Hybrid system uses a lightweight Power Control Unit (PCU) which encompasses the battery, inverter, Engine Control Unit (ECU) and DC-DC Converter.
The Hino four cylinder common-rail injected turbo-diesel engine produces 150hp (110kW) and 470Nm of torque. This is delivered in combination with the electric motor, with maximum torque available at a very low 1200rpm, making for a major contribution to the trucks’ fuel efficiency.
In common with the rest of the Hino range, the Hino Hybrid now is equipped with Hino SmartSafe which is a comprehensive safety package with advanced driver-assist technology. It includes a Pre-Collision System with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Pedestrian Detection (PD) and Lane Departure Warning System. This is in addition to Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), reverse camera, dual SRS airbags, four-wheel disc brakes and hill start assist.
As part of its commitment to provide customers with its innovative Hino Advantage business solutions, Hino Australia is upgrading the multimedia unit across its range of light, medium and heavy-duty trucks, with a phased rollout starting from July 2023.
Following the success of the previous multimedia unit, Hino has once again partnered with Melbourne-based Directed Electronics in the development of the latest unit, with a particular focus on driver and vehicle ergonomics.
“Simplicity in the ‘driver-machine’ interface design provides enhanced functionality and selection for drivers courtesy of items such as a volume control knob, buttons on the unit and programmable control buttons on the steering wheel,” says Daniel.
“We know that drivers’ lives and businesses are progressively more dependent on being connected and contactable, and are undeniably intertwined with their phones, which is why the new multimedia unit features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone compatibility.”
Other changes include improved Bluetooth functionality and microphone performance, plus an easily accessible 2amp USB fast charge point at the front of the unit.
The truck specific navigation system can be tailored to suit each individual truck or load, with the ability to input critical data such as the truck’s height, weight and dangerous goods classification.
The navigation system then calculates a route that avoids low bridges, weight-restricted roads and/or dangerous goods-restricted areas. The new multimedia unit will provide all vehicles with the capability to access the full suite of Hino-Connect business telematics features.
Currently standard fitment on the Hino 700 Series and 500 Series vehicles, and now available as an option for 300 Series, Hino-Connect is the next-generation of business intelligence which provides customers with real-time performance data tracking, remote diagnosis of vehicle faults and dedicated Hino-Connect specialist support.
Developed in Australia in conjunction with Directed Electronics, Hino-Connect allows direct communication with the driver through the truck’s multimedia unit, which is an Australian-first.
Fleet managers are able to use an online portal and mobile app to access business intelligence and real-time insights into their fleet including live vehicle performance data such as fuel usage, the cause and effect of driving performance, and safety alerts.
The June announcement that the Daimler-owned Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (‘Fuso’) and Hino will merge on an equal footing and collaborate in the areas of commercial vehicle development, procurement, and production, will turbocharge the development and adoption of technologies for both brands including hydrogen fuel cell powertrains and autonomous commercial vehicles.
