Fuso’s new Eco Hybrid on Show at Sydney

On display for the first time in Australia at the Sydney Truck Show, Mitsubishi Fuso’s Canter Eco Hybrid will give Sydney truck drivers a sneak peak at the latest engine/transmission technology to be commercially available for sale in Japan. The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) Canter was released for sale in Japan on July 5th 2006. The product is currently being evaluated for international markets.

Driven by the need to meet tightening emission standards in the world’s major markets and to reduce the environmental impact of commercial vehicles, Mitsubishi Fuso has been working on hybrid engine systems for over a decade. The new HEV Canter features top fuel efficiency while meeting Japan’s stringent, new long term emissions regulations.

The Canter Eco Hybrid was developed by a cross-functional Mitsubishi Fuso team using the Fuso Product Development (FPD) system. Based on the global standards of DaimlerChrysler, FPD is a method for managing the entire vehicle development process, from concept to design and launch. Product must pass through stringent quality validation “gates” where they are evaluated by cross-functional teams. Only products that meet all quality requirements can move to the next stage of development.

The Canter Eco Hybrid is powered by a three-litre 92 kW, 294 Nm diesel engine which runs alongside a 35kW 200 Nm electric motor, which also acts as a generator. The 2977cc 4M42 (T2) four-cylinder intercooled, turbocharged engine has a common rail fuel injection system that uses high pressure injection to reduce particle matter (PM) and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to reduce the formation of nitrous oxides.

A ceramic diesel particulate filter (DPF) is used to reduce the amount of particulate matter emissions. It is comprised of oxidation-type catalytic converters and a filter section. A pre-catalyst effectively breaks down a portion of the hydrocarbons and particulate matter in the exhaust while the ceramic filter traps the remaining PM and removes them through forced combustion.

The electric motor sits between the transmission and the engine and an automatic clutch is activated according to the driving conditions. The automatic clutch is the key to the success of the system. If the electric motor/generator remained connected with the engine while braking part of the energy would be consumed by the friction of the engine, instead of being converted to electricity.

The Hybrid system switches its operational model according to the driving situation. When moving off, the auto clutch disengages the diesel engine and allows the electric motor to get the vehicle going. By using the electric motor only, Fuso can greatly reduce emissions as a diesel engine when starting off requires significant fuel.

When cruising, the clutch engages the diesel engine and disconnects the electric motor. When accelerating hard, both diesel engine and electric motor contribute to the power. When slowing down, the engine disengages and the electric motor becomes a generator, feeding current back into the lithium battery.

The weight and size of the batteries required for any type of electric powered vehicle has been the major challenge for engineers. Mitsubishi FUSO believe the high performance lithium ion battery is the best option, due to its compact size, lightweight and its ability to take in large amounts of energy quickly... allowing the maximum amount of braking energy, which is considerable, to be efficiently recovered for later use.

The lithium-ion battery requires no periodic replacement. Fuso is the first company which is using second generation Li-ion batteries with improved life time and performance.

The vehicles ecological benefits are impressive and include a significant reduction in emissions when compared to conventionally-powered vehicles. Mitsubishi Fuso claims a reduction of 41% in nitrogen oxide (NOx) and 46% decrease in particulate matter (PM).

Aside from a reduction in emissions, the hybrid diesel-electric drive system delivers an increase in fuel economy of up to a 20%. Fuel savings are particularly significant for operators who do a lot of stop/start driving. An idling Stop & Start (ISS) system automatically turns off the engine when the transmission is shifted to N, saving fuel and reducing emissions. ISS can be turned on or off according to user preference.

Mitsubishi Fuso’s advanced new automated mechanical transmission (INOMAT-II) features an ergonomic, dash-mounted gearstick to offer drivers a choice of either ‘fully automatic’ or manually-shifted ‘tip-tronic’ driving modes to make the truck easier to drive. The location of the gearstick on the dash means the Canter Eco Hybrid, like the current FE Canter, has a genuine walk-through cabin.

Drivers will also appreciate the EZGO system which assists on hill starts by keeping the brakes on, even after disengaging the brake pedal, until the accelerator is applied.