While Fuso has hitched its future to electric trucks, or perhaps plugged into an electric future, Toyota owned truck brand, Hino had just one electric vehicle on display at its Tokyo Motor Show stand, its Poncho bus.
Hino says the Hino Poncho Electric Vehicle (EV), operates using a high-frequency charging concept, which means it, is charged about every 10 km along its operating route.
Hino says it has performed well during trials in three Japanese cities where the buses have been currently operating. The Poncho EV bus Hino claims runs quietly and emits zero exhaust emissions when driving.
For the time being at least the Poncho EV is only be available in the Japanese domestic market, however as we reported last week a delegation of Hino Australia representatives is travelling to Japan later this week and we believe the Poncho EV maybe on the shopping list to offer an extra variant alongside the 180hp turbo diesel power plant.
Poncho is targeting operators requiring a smaller and more manoeuvrable bus with a low floor and for short distance travel in more crowded urban areas and would have to have potential in on demand bus operations.
