A British transport company, Evans European Transport, which specializes in refrigerated transport and is based in Grimsby at the mouth of the Humber where it flows into the North Sea, recently added a Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid to its fleet for food transport.

After several weeks of use, an initial conclusion can be drawn in comparison with the other 7.49-ton trucks in the fleet which are also used for transporting refrigerated foodstuffs, but have a conventional diesel engine as their drive system.

“The Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid is considerably more efficient when out on the road than its diesel colleagues – not only with regard to fuel consumption, but also where the payload is concerned,” said Managing Director Colin Evans.

In spite of the additional weight of the electric motor and lithium-ion battery plus the box body and refrigeration unit, the payload of the Fuso Canter 7C15 Eco Hybrid is nearly 3.5 tons. This corresponds to over 1 ton more than its diesel competitors in the Evans fleet, according to the company.

The u four-cylinder turbodiesel with 3.0L displacement, 150 hp output, and a maximum torque of 370 Nm originates from the Canter with conventional diesel drive. The BlueTec 6 engine corresponds to the Euro VI emissions level, its emission control combines exhaust gas recirculation, SCR engine technology with AdBlue injection and a particulate filter. The electric motor has an output of 40 kW, the maximum torque is 200 Nm. Energy for the electric motor is provided by lithium-ion batteries. Its capacity is 2 kWh and weighs 63.5 kg. Fuso grants an explicit warranty of 10 years on all the fundamental battery components. The increased weight of all the hybrid components amounts to about 150 kg. This means that the payload of the Canter Hybrid with a box body is nearly 3.5 tons, and the load-bearing capacity of the 7.49-ton model as a chassis with cab is up to 4.8 tons, according to truck maker.