Over in the USA, on the brink of California regulators voting on whether to mandate fleets to procure five to ten percent electric vehicles from 2024, Daimler Truck has introduced Rizon, a fresh brand of medium-duty electric trucks aimed at the U.S. market.
If the trucks featured in Rizon’s image seem familiar, that’s because the truck in question is a remodeled version of the cab-over eCanter electric truck that Mitsubishi Fuso produces.
During the IAA Transportation show in Germany last year, Daimler unveiled an updated edition of its medium-duty Mitsubishi Fuso eCanter electric truck. Officials at Daimler confirmed that the Japanese-manufactured truck would not carry the Mitsubishi Fuso brand if it were ever introduced to the American market. Flash forward to today, and the eCanter is set to make an appearance at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo on the 1st of May not as Fuso but as Rizon.
According to reports, Rizon will be offering the new EV truck in three variants, the e18L, e16L, and e16M. These medium-duty trucks are classified as Class 4 and 5 according to U.S truck classification, with a gross vehicle weight range of 7,255 kg to 8,162 kg. The latest Rizon truck variants, the L-model and M-size, come equipped with three lithium iron phosphate (LFP) 124-kilowatt-hour battery packs and two 83 kWh battery packs, respectively. The L-model can travel from 110 to 160 kilometers on a single charge, while the M-size variant can cover 75 to 110 kilometers. Daimler officials explained that the LFP chemistry was selected due to its superior reliability and has double the life of other cathode materials, making it ideal for various use cases.
Two types of battery-charging systems are available: Level two alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) fast charging. Level two AC charging takes around five to six hours, providing ample time for the batteries to charge up to their maximum capacity. On the other hand, DC fast charging can charge the batteries in just 45 to 90 minutes, allowing for quick turnarounds and reducing downtime.
With the eCanter making its way to more markets overseas, will we see Fuso’s EV truck here in the Philippines any time soon? Hopefully, yes.
