Hino has its eye on new technologies for medium-duty trucks as cab-over-engines (COEs) continue to meet market needs. While the COE is no longer a configuration of choice for Class 8 over-the-road trucking operations, the design is still seen as highly viable in many local and especially in urban operating environments.
“The needs of different industry segments are met with this type of vehicle,” said Glenn Ellis, vice president of marketing and dealer operations at Hino Trucks. “The COE is the right fit in North America for fleets that need payload capacity in a vehicle that is highly maneuverable, and addresses other concerns.”
One of those, Ellis noted, is the need for an “urban truck” that can be handled safely and effectively by a driver pool that is increasingly made up of people who are not truck drivers in the traditional sense. “In Class 4 and 5 fleets,” he added, “the COE addresses driver concerns about visibility very effectively, adding a measure of comfort and safety for operators of trucks that are below the GVW threshold for commercial driver’s licenses.”
Earlier this year, Hino Trucks rolled out a Class 5 COE model 195 Double Cab, a configuration based on the standard cab model 195. The new double cab option for the 2014 model year, which began arriving at Hino dealers in June, is offered in a diesel model 195DC and a diesel-electric hybrid designated as model 195h-DC.
Designed on a 19,500-lb. GVW chassis, the four-door, six-person double cab can be equipped with an optional magnetic spring suspension seat in a cab that is designed to accommodate drivers up to 6 ft., 6 in. tall.
While driver comfort was one design goal for Hino, Ellis related, the 195 model also addresses concerns about power and performance in Class 5 vehicles. As a result, the truck is powered by Hino’s five-liter engine rated at 210 HP and 440 lb./ft. of torque, and is equipped with an Aisin A465, six-speed automatic transmission.
Hino also is realizing success with the diesel-electric hybrid model 195h. “Since its introduction into the market last year, we have seen tremendous acceptance of our 6th generation hybrid system,” Ellis said. “The first 130 trucks that went on the market in California last November sold immediately, and since then, owner operators and fleets in that state have purchased 430 model 195 hybrids.”
Helping drive that activity is the California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). Administered by CALSTART and created by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), HVIP provides vouchers to help California fleets purchase an eligible truck or bus. The goal is to reduce the higher cost of these vehicles for fleets in the state while helping expand the use of technologies that are central to meeting California’s clean air goals.
Hybrid trucks are more expensive than traditional vehicles, especially in the early market years when production volumes are low, Ellis explains. “The hybrid upcharge on the Hino 195h is only $12,000,” he said. “Fleets that can utilize the HVIP incentive can see a $15,000 voucher, and in some cases up to $37,000.
“Incentive programs help gain acceptance and help show that a manufacturer can enter a market with a lower price point,” Ellis continued. “Going forward, we are preparing to supply these types of vehicles in other states and in places like New York City, which is getting ready to launch its own alternative fuel vehicle program that will cover a large portion of the upcharge on these units.”
Designed based on a global platform, Hino’s full range of COE models includes features that meet North American market needs, and next on the list may be natural gas-powered models.
“The industry sees natural gas as the next trend in medium-duty,” Ellis said. “It is already proving its viability in light-duty and Class 8 applications, so we’re working to address issues that are particular to medium-duty trucks, such as the location of natural gas fuel tanks when you’re faced with a wide range of different body and equipment needs.”
