Enter the eCanter
The truck in question is the Fuso eCanter and it’s something pretty special because it’s the world’s first electric truck that has entered series production. Over the years, we’ve seen lots of very impressive electric truck prototypes – but this vehicle is actually being produced in Tramagal, Portugal (all eCanters for the European and the US markets are produced in that plant; a separate plant in Japan produces the eCanter for domestic customers). The plant commenced production in July 2017.
The opening of that plant was the culmination of a seven-year journey for the eCanter. Nine years ago, in 2010, we witnessed the world premiere of a prototype of the electric Canter at the International Motor Show Germany for commercial vehicles (IAA). Production of pre-series trucks began in 2014, as did customer trials with numerous pre-production vehicles in Portugal and Germany.
The eCanter is the first of a host of electric Fusos that are planned. Daimler subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation has announced that it will electrify its entire range of trucks and buses in the upcoming years.
What’s this vehicle all about?
The eCanter is based on the internal combustion-engined Canter that we have seen on South African roads for many years. But, instead of having a diesel engine, it has an electric powertrain containing six high voltage lithium ion battery packs with 420 V and 13.8 kWh each. The battery packs are produced by Daimler subsidiary Accumotive, which is based in Kamenz, Germany.
The electric drivetrain delivers 129 kW via a single-gear transmission. We have driven the eCanter many, many times and it’s always a real blast. That’s because 420 Nm of torque are on tap – immediately! It feels a lot like a passenger car when you floor the accelerator and lurch forward. The maximum speed of the eCanter – like with any other vehicle of its weight class – is limited to 80 kilometres per hour. It gets there pretty fast!
The truck can be charged overnight, or the charging time can be reduced to approximately 105 minutes by using a fast charger.
The eCanter has a range of 100 kilometres and it can carry a load of two or three tons – depending on the body and usage. It’s just perfect for use in city centres because, of course, it emits no emissions and it’s also relatively silent. (I’ve used the word “relatively” because, as already stated, we’ve driven the eCanter and while the rumbling of a diesel is noticeably absent, it does make a tiny little whine – so it would be inaccurate to say that it’s totally silent.)
The eCanter is also perfect for cost-conscious transport operators (and, let’s face it, which transport operator isn’t?) In fact, while the purchase price is considerably higher (some say around three times the price of the diesel-engined derivative), the operating costs are much lower. According to a spokesman for Fuso, in comparison with a conventional diesel truck, the eCanter offers savings up to €1 000 (about R17 000) per 10 000 kilometres. Not to be sneezed at …!
Not surprisingly, this combination of factors (reduced noise, emissions and running costs) has seen numerous operators sign on the dotted line and gallop off in an eCanter.
Orders galore
The very first European customers to acquire an eCanter – DHL, DB Schenker, Rhenus and Dachser – took delivery of their vehicles back in December 2017. The trucks were all rented for 24 months via CharterWay, Daimler’s own rental and leasing expert in the commercial vehicle business.
DHL acquired six eCanters – two for inner-city delivery runs in Berlin and four for general deliveries of goods to businesses and corporate clients. DB Schenker is also using one of its three eCanters in Berlin, where it is delivering and collecting general cargo. It has subsequently ordered additional eCanters for urban short-radius distribution in Paris, Frankfurt and the Stuttgart region.
Rhenus is using three eCanters to deliver furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and heavy sport equipment from its central warehouse to inner Berlin. Dachser ordered two eCanters and it’s using them for last-mile distribution as well as collections.
P&H Logistik in Berlin has also extended its vehicle fleet to include three all-electric light-duty Fuso eCanter trucks. Over in Portugal, the city of Lisbon has ordered 10 eCanters, which it uses for municipal gardening and for waste disposal.
The eCanter is also finding favour with Dutch customers; 12 eCanters now form part of the fleets of PostNL, Albert Heijn, Cornelissen Groep, Technische Unie as well as the biggest Dutch online marketplace in food service, Bidfood.
Daimler Trucks has also handed over the first all-electric eCanters to customers in Great Britain. Courier service DPD, logistics company Wincanton and baked goods manufacturer Hovis are initially starting with a total of nine eCanters in their fleets.
Over in the United States, Penske Truck Leasing has taken delivery of its first eCanter. Penske plans to operate the light-duty trucks from Fuso for urban delivery in California.
What about South Africa?
So, the eCanter is already on the roads of Japan, Europe and the United States. Next stop, South Africa? A Daimler spokesman says there are currently no plans to bring the truck to sunny South Africa. We assume that this is the case because this is such a cost-sensitive market. We believe that, once batteries become much cheaper (and they most certainly will), the eCanter could have a more attractive price tag – and thus make sense (and cents) in this country.
