Hino launched a hybrid truck in Australia 15 years ago and has quietly sold small numbers each year and worked with forward thinking customers that could see the importance of reducing emissions in their fleet.
At a recent press event linked to the Hino National Roadshow, which was launched in Cairns during June, Richard Emery, Vice President of Brand and Franchise Development for Hino Australia, told journalists that the hybrid was a great opportunity for Hino over the next decade and they weren’t planning to miss out.
The Hino 300 Series hybrid offers fleets, with the right application, the chance to reduce their emissions without installing expensive electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Also, there is no range anxiety with a hybrid.
“While we have been ahead of the curve by offering the Hybrid for the past 15 years, there is more we can do to present it as a legitimate solution,” said Emery.
“When we launched the current version of 300 Series Hybrid models, we anticipated that they could reduce a customer’s operational costs by up to 20% which also directly minimises their impact on the environment with an equal reduction in CO2 emissions.
“Recently, we have undertaken further real-world customer trials involving a 300 Series 616 Hybrid operating in a refrigerated delivery application which resulted in a 22% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to the conventional diesel engine model. It also saw an approximate 50% reduction in idling time.
“For this customer, this is a potential saving of up to 5.1 tonnes of CO2 emissions and over $4,000 per annum in fuel savings per truck.
“The current market conditions combined with our customers’ strong focus on reducing their CO2 footprint has seen us take record orders from new and existing Hybrid customers such as councils, and fleet customers such as Altus Traffic.
“A 300 Series Hybrid currently has a lower operational CO2 output and environmental impact than a battery electric truck plugged into the Australian grid.
“It is a perfect solution for customers to immediately reduce their fleet’s CO2 levels – it is the ideal stepping stone for many fleets on the road to net zero emission and provides a real window of opportunity for Hino customers, particularly during the next three to five years.
