Overview

FUSO was the first to release a series production electric truck in 2017 which made its way to Australia by 2021 in the light-duty eCanter. But after around eight million zero-emission kilometres Fuso has upped the ante with its second generation model.

The Daimler Truck-owned brand is gearing up to launch its new 14-model strong eCanter range locally in May and, unlike the first generation model which was a lease-only affair, buyers will be able purchase one outright.

Ahead of its Australian launch, GoAuto was thrown the keys to the eCanter e615 Wide Cab model, loaded up to 5160kg for a day of real-world driving around Melbourne.

The six-tonne gross vehicle mass (GVM) e615 model we tested is considered to be the ‘sweet spot’ within the range, which consists of four key GVM options; 4.5-tonnes, 6-tonnes, 7.5-tonnes and 8.5-tonnes.

“If we look at a couple of different segments I really see that 6-tonne one (e615) as being the best all-rounder, because it gives a good combination of range and payload carrying capacity,” Daimler Truck Australia Pacific head of vehicle homologation and future mobility, Romesh Rodrigo told GoAuto.

The first generation eCanter was only offered in 7.5-tonne GVM guise meaning you couldn’t drive it on a car licence unless it was ‘de-rated’, which didn’t make sense based on the size of the truck.

With the addition of a car licence-suitable 4.5-tonne GVM model within the eCanter range, suddenly small business owners, tradesman and delivery drivers are offered a viable light-duty option that won’t require a licence upgrade.

While Fuso claimed first-to-market bragging rights with the original eCanter, the use of Daimler’s e-axle technology in its second generation eCanter is also a first for the light-duty truck segment.

“Let’s look at it objectively, right? It’s the best design,” Mr Rodrigo said of the decision to adopt the e-axle layout, which is also used in offerings from Fuso’s sister company Mercedes Benz Trucks.

The e-axle offers packaging and efficiency benefits, doing away with a driveshaft to reduce weight and complexity from the driveline. Two half-shafts run from the e-axle to the wheels, with both the motor and the batteries mounted neatly within the chassis rails.

“With the powertrain now isolated in a certain part of the truck it gives us the ability to package, so if you want more batteries we just increase the wheelbase and keep sliding things in,” Mr Rodrigo said.

The eCanter e615 tested produces 110kW peak or 85kW continuous power and 430Nm of torque, with two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs offering a combined 83kWh capacity.

Range is claimed at up to 200km for the e615, with larger three-battery models boasting up to 300km between charges, but this figure will vary based on application, body type and loaded weight.

The new battery system is modular, allowing Fuso to customise range potential by fitting additional batteries, and improved thermal control consisting of an in-battery liquid cooling system ensures optimal operating temperature is maintained.

Among the other useful updates for the second generation range is the addition of an electric power take off (ePTO) to run auxiliary items like a crane or fridge unit on the back of the truck.

The full suite of Fuso’s active safety technology has been included, some not yet available on the regular Canter models, including advanced brake assist 5 with pedestrian detection, active side guard assist, lane departure warning, stability control assist and high voltage shut off crash sensors. The eCanter also has an acoustic vehicle alert system (AVAS) fitted, which produces sound at speeds below 20km/h to alert pedestrians and road users to the otherwise silent truck.

Inside, the cabin scores suspended ISRI seats, electric handbrake, and a 10-inch digital dash displaying state of charge and a visual representation of energy consumption which shows whether power is being used under acceleration or regenerated during deceleration.

Exterior changes include LED headlights with daytime running lamps (DRLs) and a more modern appearance that differentiates the truck from its fossil fuel-drinking siblings.

Driving Impressions

Make no mistake, the eCanter is a premium light-duty truck and that much is clear from the moment you set foot inside the well-appointed cabin.

Gone is the drab grey interior all too common in light trucks, Fuso instead opting for smooth, curved black plastics and a leather-bound wheel with red stitching. This is an interior that introduces passenger car aesthetics, without going over the top.

The centerpiece of this interior is the large digital dash, displaying all of the vital information for efficient operation of the truck with a spectacularly user-friendly interface. It’s apparent before having it explained to you that the on-screen graphic is showing power in and power out, and it doesn’t serve up an overwhelming amount of information.

While the first generation eCanter had slightly more power, it was down on torque with the new model trading horsepower for newtons. We didn’t drive the first generation eCanter but this truck offers stout performance at any road speed below its 90km/h limit, suggesting Fuso has settled on an appropriate state of tune.

Sure, trucks don’t need to be rapid off the mark, and this isn’t fast by passenger car standards, but there is no momentary power loss between gears - which can be particularly lengthy on slow-shifting automated-manual transmissions widely used in trucks - and it never feels like it’s working very hard.

Even modern torque converter automatics feel lazy compared to the direct single-speed drive the e-axle provides, wooshing up to speed with steady acceleration that can be likened that of a train.

It stops better than its diesel equivalents too and the digital dash shows just how effective the three-stage regenerative braking system is. Even with the lowest option selected, maximum regeneration can be seen on the dash, as the truck pulls to a halt with predictable engine-brake-like force.

Unlike engine brakes controlled with a stalk, this regenerative braking system is actually controlled using the gear shifter, pushing it up to work through the three stages of recuperation.

In fact, the truck can be driven for the most part with one pedal, in the same way an electric car, preserving the service brakes for all but panic-brake moments. It will come down to personal preference, though, as we found ourselves opting to leave the regenerative braking at ‘B2’ while using small amounts of service brake assistance.

If you had blindfolded me to conceal the load of sand in the back, telling me it was unloaded,  I would have believed it. In other words, it handles,  stops and accelerates like an unladen truck despite being loaded up near its maximum GVM.

A big piece of the handling puzzle is the independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, not usually found on 6-tonne GVM trucks. The result is car-like steering feel and a smooth, composed ride that is definitely out of the ordinary on a truck loaded to more than five tonnes.

Traversing Melbourne’s inner-city traffic, seemingly present at all times of the day, the zero-emission eCanter feels suited to this environment. Stop-start traffic isn’t great for fuel economy in a diesel truck, but electric vehicles are most efficient in these conditions.

Suddenly, with the absence of diesel hum, road and wind noise become noticeable and when stopped at lights the AC compressor can be heard - working hard on the 40-degree day. In any case, it’s still a whisper-quiet cabin.

Upon completing around 55km of mixed use, we had 155km of range left in the “tank”, and we weren’t exactly trying to preserve the battery across the day.

While passenger car manufacturers have been exaggerating fuel use and range claims since the beginning of time, truck makers are used to dealing with savvy fleet managers that measure every last drop of diesel or, in this case, kWh of energy.

For this reason, it seems truck makers offer more realistic range figures and in the case of Fuso we would even suggest they understate the eCanter’s long legs. Another factor to consider is the diminishing weight of light-duty truck loads in most use cases, with a loaded weight that typically drops across each shift as deliveries are made.

Realistically, the stop-start traffic around Melbourne and the varied array of driving conditions we put the eCanter through represent a typical half-day of work in a truck like this. It passed with flying colours, and with enough range to do it again three times over.

The only real inconvenience with the eCanter, over its diesel counterparts, is the need to recharge the batteries, but in last-mile scenarios and with 100kW DC fast charging this is hardly a problem.

In 45 minutes the eCanter can be charged from 5 per cent to 90 per cent using a DC charger. Sure, it’s not as quick as a trip to the diesel bowser, but it’s about the time you’d take to eat lunch and load the truck.

While definitive pricing is yet to be released, it won’t be cheap. All we could get from the Fuso folk, at this stage, is an indicative price that will be "significantly more" than that of a diesel Canter.

For the premium price, though, buyers will get what we think is the most refined and user-friendly light-duty truck on the market, which also happens to be a zero-emission runner.

Fuso has redefined the light-duty segment with the eCanter, offering a glimpse of the future.