Hino Poncho Z EV bus

international NterNAtioNAL

hino poncho Z ev bus

Scheduled for 2022, the Hino Poncho Z eV electric bus takes into consideration the growing concern for global environmental issues. Team CV looks at the cnlusions in line.

Hino Motors Ltd. has announced the launch of Poncho Z EV lightduty electric bus in spring 2022 in Japan. Based on the Poncho light-duty nonstep diesel bus launched in 2002, which has been widely adopted throughout Japan for community transportation purposes, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus, taking into consideration, the growing concern for global environmental issues, features a modern, practical and attractive design. Termed ‘universal’, the design is userfriendly for everyone and optimised for the community. Realising the increasing need for zero-emissions vehicles, given their close proximity to people’s everyday lives, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus employs the latest advances in electric propulsion technologies found the world over. Engineered to contribute to sustainable community transportation with a people-friendly approach, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus has a large full-flat area and low floor non-step structure. Supporting easier boarding and movement inside the bus for all kinds of passengers, including wheelchair

users and baby strollers, the e-bus will address urban transportation needs in particular. Devoid of any noise and emission, the vehicle has a large glass area for an airy cabin and a superior ability to manoeuvre.

With a social thought of supporting the lives of residents and communities considered during its design process, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus is highly agile. Highly manoeuvrable too, through narrow city streets, the vehicle will have a cruising range sufficient for a community bus. Hino hasn’t yet revealed in kilometer terms how much it would be, but a good guess is, it will be close to or over 200 kms on a full charge. To be also included in the lineup of vehicles by CUBE-LINX1, as a vehicle to be used by e-mobility optimised operation management businesses, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus will be equipped with a lithium-ion battery pack of 105 kWh. Its output will be 161 kW. With an ability to quick charge (CHAdeMO method), the e-bus will seat approximately 30 passengers. With a GVW of 8,000 kg, the e-bus will provide support for customers’ businesses along with its meticulously detailed, high-quality and full-ranging ‘Total Support’ made possible by Hino’s dealer network. Measuring seven-meter in length, the Poncho Z EV light-duty electric bus is part of Hino’s initiatives to achieve zero environmental impact as part of its ‘Environmental Challenge 2050’ policy revealed in 2017. The policy calls for the company to accelerate its efforts to reduce environmental impact is a series of calculated efforts. In April 2021, the company established midterm targets in its Hino Environmental Milestone 2030. Pursuing all possible measures to achieve carbon neutrality, not only for its own products but also in a wide range of strategies based on a life cycle assessment of vehicles from production to disposal, Hino in cooperation with Woven Alpha Inc. and Isuzu Motors Limited is pursuing the utilisation of Automated Mapping Platform (AMP).

AMP is a connected crowdsourced software platform that supports the creation, development and distribution of High Definition (HD) maps - a key enabler for smart and safe automated mobility. These HD maps are about high-precision data, vehicle fleet data, obtained through advanced satellite imagery technology. Including several layers of data rich

information of road objects such as lanes, road signs, traffic lights, and other objects, as well as of road curves and topography, the HD maps create an accurate representation of the road. What has made Hino and Isuzu the most interested in this cooperation deal is the realisation of smarter and safer logistics through automated driving and Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) using HD maps. Participating in the Fukushima Prefecture and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) initiative to build a city for a new future that makes use of hydrogen and technologies produced in Fukushima Prefecture locally, Hino will play the role of one of the two fuel cell truck supplier (the other is Isuzu) for deliveries. Its trucks will be key to optimising operational management and hydrogen refilling schedules through the use of connected technologies. The fuel cell trucks will be part of an experiment to carry out energy management that caters to the prevailing local conditions. With attention to Japan’s 2050 Carbon Neutral Goal, Hino, as part of the Fukushima Prefecture’s quest to use hydrogen technologies produced or sourced locally, is confident of supporting the building of sustainable societies that can be passed on to future generations.

Signing an agreement with REE Automotive Ltd. (REE), an innovator in e-mobility, through Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Hino is pushing for the creation of a new value to society through next-generation commercial mobility systems. Against the backdrop of advancements in - Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric vehicles(CASE), it along with REE, is looking at a transformation of commercial vehices that support the movement of people and goods such that they provide new value and opportunities for the society. The CV major has developed an ultra lowfloor walk through light-duty electric truck designed for usability in logistics. It has a walk-through van style, which provides user-friendliness and carbon-free approach. Aimed at advanced levels of operations at the logistics field, the new truck, engineered for last mile logistics, will make an appearance in early 2022. It will be called the Dutro Z EV. With a GVW of less than 3.5-tonne, the vehicle, tapping the trend of decreasing workforce and the growth of e-commerce, is designed to help deliver cargo and goods to consumers in the field of last mile logistics

by taking into consideration challenges like driver shortage and the dearth of people that have the physical burden of cargo handling. Taking into consideration the challenge to making timely delivery and an increasingly diverse array of goods, the Dutro Z EV is about achieving carbon neutrality.

Measuring 4.7 m in length and employing a 50kW permanentmagnet synchronous motor, the Duto Z EV is designed by looking at logistics issues from the customer’s perspective. As a new ultra-low-floor front-wheel drive electric truck, it features an ultra-low floor design. This is highly unlike the high-floor configuration of a conventional rear-wheel drive vehicles. Reducing the ground clearance by half almost at 400 mm, in the process improving the centre of gravity and stability, the Dutro Z EV is engineered to ensure dramatic improvements in cargo handling and accessibility. If the walk-through structure provides greater ease of use at delivery locations, the e-truck, fitted with a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery, will provide a cruising range of at least 100 kilometers. Available as a cab chassis too, the Dutro Z EV e-truck is a size smaller than the current Dutro. Capable of being equipped with a cargo bed according to customer applications and offer configuration choices to best suit the way customers do business, the e-truck will be easier to drive in residential areas. It will be normally chargable and quick chargable (CHAdeMO, 50kW). With safety equipment like PCS (Pre-Collision Safety) system, Erroneous Start Prevention Function (Intelligent clearance sonar), electric parking brake, electronic inner mirror and lane departure warning system, the Duto Z EV e-truck will provide the required cargo volume despite its compact body. Anticipating utilisation in a wide range of locations and time periods, such as inside stores, warehouses, airports, and other large-scale facilities, the e-truck

FALCON TO THE RESCUE

Airlift, was inspired by a true story of a prominent Indian businessman in Kuwait, Mathunny Mathews. Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, it shows Mathews leading an operation hailed as one of the largest civilian evacuations of about 1.7 lakh Indians stranded in Kuwait during the Gulf war of 1990. Mathunny Mathews aka Toyota Sunny (played by Akshay Kumar) played a pivotal role in airlifting them. This feat is also registered in the Guinness Book of World Records..

Back in August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Mathunny Mathews (Ranjit Katyal in the movie) converts his office into a base camp for Indians who were terrified of staying in the midst of a war zone. Ranjit traveled from Kuwait to Amman Airport, a 1400 kms drive by road. To accommodate and transport a huge number of people along with their luggage, Ranjit required a convoy of 10 Buses and vans and 15 cars. As the movie scene depicts, the convoy was led by Ranjit, with a 1990’s Cadillac, Old Eicher 1059, and followed by a fleet of Ashok Leyland ‘Falcons’ that caught our attention. With the help offered by the Indian Government at Amman Airport, Jordan, around 500 flights were deployed in this rescue operation in which Indian Air Force and Air India played a key role.

The brand ‘Falcon’ which was used in the movie is discontinued today in India as the new BSVI emission norms rolled out in April 2020. Known to operate at q low cost and provide good fuel economy, these buses score on passenger comfort too with inclusions like an armrest, and tilt recline of seats offered as standard features on the bus.

The bus is equipped with rollover stability, breakable glass for accidents or emergency evacuation, a three-point seatbelt for all passengers and driver, a USB port for charging and airconditioning offered as optional features. Under the hood, the powerhouse is based on the W06DTI six-cylinder engine, known to be a Euro3 or BSIII equivalent, heavy-duty engine. The Falcon achieved higher fuel efficiency by using a Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) system and delivers 135 kW (181 hp) @ 2400 rpm with the maximum torque of 60 kgm @ 1600 rpm. The engine is mated to a ZF, five-speed synchromesh type gearbox. The bus is equipped with semi-elliptic laminated multi-leaf suspension with a high degree of shock absorption ability for comfort. The brakes used in the bus are pneumatic diaphragm operated with a dual-line arrangement. It has flick valve operated pneumatic hand brake on rear wheels. The Falcon fleet led the rescue mission from the front.

Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India

Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India