Hino previews first full-scale electric vehicle

An ultra low floor, walk-through small EV truck has been developed by Hino Motors.

Designed for last mile deliveries, the Hino Dutro Z EV, the commercial vehicle manufacturer’s first full-scale eletric vehicle (EV) is a variation of the Dutro commonly regarded as the 300 Series in Australia.

The walk-through van style, battery electric vehicle with an ultra-low floor features a compact 50kW electric motor mounted under the cab, which drives the front wheels.

It is scheduled to be released in Japan in mid-2022.

“A Lithium Ion battery is smartly packaged and is mounted under the floor of the cargo area in between the chassis rails, while the electronic control units and other ancillary equipment are located under the cab,” said Daniel Petrovski, Hino Australia Manager of Product Strategy.

“The walk-through structure of the van and its targeted cruising range of 100 plus kilometres is particularly suited to the multi-stop delivery characteristics of the last mile delivery challenge,” he said.

In addition to the walk-through van, Hino has also developed a traditional light truck style cab chassis version that customers can mount their application specific body to.

“This is an exciting product and Hino Australia is currently in discussion with Hino Motors, Ltd. regarding a release date for the Dutro Z EV into the Australian market,” concluded Petrovski.

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