The Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid, which was unveiled at the International Motor Show in Hanover in September 2012, is the first series production hybrid light-duty truck in Europe. In Europe, the Canter Eco Hybrid is always delivered with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 7.5 tonnes, whereby the chassis has a load capacity of up to 4.8 tonnes.

The core of the diesel-electric drive system is the 3.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine rated at 110 kW (150 hp), which is supported by an electric motor with an output of 40 kW (55 hp). The turbodiesel delivers 370 N·m (273 lb-ft) of torque in the rev range from 1320 to 2900 rpm. The electric motor manages 200 N·m (148 lb-ft).

The benefits of the diesel-electric drive come into play first and foremost in distribution and consolidation operations. These areas of work are carried out for the most part with box bodies, as is also the case with the Deret Group.

For city logistics, Deret uses a depot at the docks in the Paris suburb of Genneviller. The pallets with the goods for delivery in the morning are delivered here at night by truck from Deret’s central depot near Orleans and prepared according to the scheduled routes. In the interests of the environment, Paris has introduced even more stringent regulations, however. Diesel vehicles are only allowed to enter the city between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. During the day, only trucks with gas engines and with exhaust systems complying with the Euro VI standard or higher are permitted. Deret thus required a different solution for the trucks supplying the temporary storage facility in Genneviller. This task will be carried out in future by the Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids.

In October, MFTBC presented the new Canter range: the vehicles comply with Euro 5b+ or Euro VI, according to weight category (reference mass = curb weight). Beyond this, there are numerous other new features. The standard-fit “Ecofficiency” package comprises a variety of measures designed to reduce fuel consumption, such as higher injection pressures of 2000 bar, the use of fuel-efficient engine oil, engine start/stop function and longer axle ratios.

The variants with a permissible gross vehicle weight above 6.5 t and rated at 110 kW (150 hp) and 129 kW (175 hp) additionally feature tire with optimized rolling resistance and an enhanced diesel particulate filter. These engine variants employ BlueTec 6 technology with an SCR catalytic converter.

A new top weight variant with a GVW of 8.55 tonnes enables a load capacity of up to six tonnes for the chassis, marking a new benchmark. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP), ABS with electronic brake force distribution and an engine brake offering 50 kW of braking power all feature as standard. The “Duonic” automated dual clutch transmission also remains available ex factory. The Duonic enables driving without manual gear-shifting and greatly reduces the driver’s workload during maneuvering and in stop-and-go traffic.