POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Only a few years ago Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) were mostly considered to be futurist concepts which belonged more in the realms of science fiction than delivering goods on our roads. An indication of how far the category has advanced is the fact that Fuso has unveiled the second generation of the eCanter, initially in Japan in early September 2022, followed by the IAA extravaganza in Hanover, Germany a few weeks later. Subsequent to the launch of its first eCanter back in 2017, Fuso, it might be said, is capitalising on its five years of global experience.

The Next Generation eCanter is available in two cab variants, one 1.7 metres wide and the other 2.0 metres wide and is characterised by an expanded versatility making it compatible with many applications in addition to the usual delivery of general cargo, towing services, refuse collection, and tasks in the construction industry.

The Next Generation eCanter features the increasingly popular eAxle concept of integrating the electric motor with the independently suspended rear axle. This results in a more compact drivetrain structure which provides more space for battery packs and creates a significant expansion of Fuso’s BEV product line up. For the Japanese market that will include 28 variants, and approximately 80 variants for other markets to address a wider range of application requirements. The new model is also equipped with the “ePTO” power take-off unit which enables special purpose applications for customers wanting to operate their eCanters in applications such as tipper, tilt tray, truck mounted crane, or climatecontrolled van body.

While the original eCanter was previously only available with a GVM of 7.49 tonnes and a wheelbase of 3,400mm, customers now have a choice of six wheelbases between 2,500mm and 4,750 mm, and GVMs between 4.25 tonnes and 8.55 tonnes that allow for body and payload combinations of up to five tonnes. Electric motor power is either 110 kW for variants with gross weights of 4.25 and 6 tonnes, or 129kWh with 430Nm of torque for models with gross weights of 7.49 and 8.55 tonnes.

Until now, the eCanter only had a single battery option with a nominal capacity of 81kWh and a range of up to 100 kilometers. With the New Generation eCanter, depending upon the wheelbase, three different modular battery packs are available, referred to as “S”, “M” and “L”. The batteries use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell technology to provide a long service life and more usable energy. The battery pack in the “S” variant has a nominal capacity of 41kWh and enables a range of up to 70 kilometres. In the “M” variant, the nominal capacity is 83kWh and the range is up to 140 kilometers. The “L” variant, as the most powerful package, offers a nominal capacity of 124kWh and a range of up to 200 kilometres, a distance, within reason, that should exceed that which is usually covered per day in urban light distribution conditions. Battery recuperation during de-acceleration can increase the range even further, and consequently minimise time spent connected to a charger. The charging unit on the Next Generation models supports charging with both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Using the Combined Charging System (CCS) charging is possible with up to 104kW. DC fast charging to 90 per cent of battery capacity is possible in approximately 36 minutes for the “S”, 44 minutes for the “M” and 75 minutes on the “L”. AC charging (11 and 22 kW) takes between four and six hours, depending on the battery pack. Japanese customers, at least, have access to a V2X function which enables the eCanter’s batteries to supply power to homes and other equipment in the event of an emergency. To maximize safety the batteries are mounted within the eCanter’s chassis frame using a rigid steel bracket which also serves as impact protection for the battery in a frontal or side impact. In the event of an accident, a crash sensor automatically deactivates the highvoltage system.

The Next Generation eCanter also has some enhanced EV-specific functions including regenerative braking which can be controlled at four levels via a steering column mounted stalk which contributes to power savings and enhanced drivability due to the motor braking function. Battery PreConditioning allows the batteries to be preheated through a timer setting during AC charging, and there is a Heater Cut Switch feature to save energy consumption by warming only the most needed areas such as the seats and steering wheel.

The Next Generation eCanter features a newly designed interior and exterior with the Fuso ‘Black Belt motif’ on the front face of the cab, with touches of orange and blue design elements. The LED headlights and daytime running lights, as well as the latest LED rear combination lights, offer reliable visibility. The interior design has also been upgraded for driving comfort with a new and slightly lower dashboard to provide more space and a new 10-inch full LCD panel linked to the steering wheel switches. Fuso’s telematics solution Truckonnect provides a number of newly added EVspecific features such as the eRange feature. It displays the remaining range distance and the remaining battery capacity. These metrics will also be available to track on the Truckonnect portal so management back at the depot is constantly aware of the remaining range available. In addition, the new model will be compatible with the Charging Management System function that allows operators to set a timer to charge vehicle batteries during off-peak periods when electricity costs are lowest. An unintended consequence of the quiet operation of BEVs is pedestrian risk.

So for improved acoustic perception by pedestrians or cyclists the Next Generation eCanter is equipped with an external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) as standard in addition to the Active Side Guard Assist system. This is the first time Active Side Guard Assist has been used in a Fuso light-duty truck, and it operates by reducing the risk of accidents on turns by monitoring the blind spot on the side of the truck. When necessary, the feature also activates a collision mitigation brake system. The fifth-generation Active Brake Assist with pedestrian detection, which is also standard, can reduce the risk of a collision in longitudinal traffic. Other safety features include the driver attention monitoring system known as Active Attention Assist that supports the prevention of fatigue-induced incidents with lane marking recognition, various sensors and a facial recognition camera, warning the driver with a buzzer and dashboard display.

In further support of its ‘green credentials’ Fuso is also working to establish a system to manage the entire life cycle of electric truck batteries. The Next Generation eCanter is manufactured in Fuso’s vehicle plant at Tramagal in Portugal where more than 235,000 Fuso Canter’s, both diesel and electric, have been produced since 1980.