Hino Motors Ltd. (TYO:7205) on Oct. 12 invited members of the press to its plant in Koga, Ibaraki Prefecture, where the automaker manufactures heavy- and medium-duty trucks. By setting up 26 sub-assembly lines, Hino has enabled truck and tractor manufacturing to take place on a single production line. Hino has also introduced a range of...
trucks
Japanese Government Promotes Fuel Cell Trucks, Buses as Part of Hydrogen Strategy
The Japanese government has listed buses and trucks for fuel cell vehicle (FCV) development as part of the country’s basic hydrogen strategy, which will be fully compiled at the end of the year. As such large vehicles require a lot fuel, this will lead to improved profitability of hydrogen stations. The government has decided also...
Yamato Transport Adopts 25-Meter Double-Trailer Truck
Yamato Transport Co. Ltd. recently announced that it has adopted for domestic use two units of an extra-long 25-meter trailer truck developed by Isuzu Motors Ltd. (TYO:7202) and Nippon Trex Co. Ltd. The Japanese delivery company plans to introduce one truck unit at both its Atsugi and Kansai logistics terminals, and hopes that the trailer...
Iveco to Enter Japanese Market for Natural Gas Vehicles
Iveco S.p.A held a press conference on Sept. 6 at the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo to announce its plans to develop natural gas-fuelled transport. The Italian commercial automaker is undertaking feasibility studies with two Japanese companies regarding the assembly, marketing, maintenance and launch of natural gas vehicles for the Japanese market. Iveco plans also...
Jtekt Develops Torsen LSD for Light-Duty Trucks in Asian Market
Jtekt Corp. (TYO:6473) recently announced that it will begin mass production of a torque-sensitive limited-slip differential (LSD) for light-duty trucks as part of the company’s Torsen series. The company has to date focused the production of its Torsen series for application in four-wheel drive vehicles and rear-wheel drive (FR) sports cars, making development for light-duty...
Mitsubishi Fuso Begins Production of Electric Truck in Portugal
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. began production of its electric-powered light truck, the eCanter, on Aug. 1 at Mitsubishi Fuso Truck Europe SA’s plant in Tramagal, Portugal. The small electric truck will be exported to North America and Europe. For Japan, production began in July at Mitsubishi Fuso’s Kawasaki factory. Twenty-five vehicles are scheduled...
Hino to Offer Chinese Market New Trucks at 10% Cheaper Cost
Hino Motors Ltd. (TYO:7205) has announced that it will release new trucks for the Chinese market in 2018–2019, developed with a focus on reducing costs. The company hopes that increased local procurement and other such measures will allow it to cut the prices of its trucks by approximately 10 percent. Hino began manufacturing heavy-duty trucks...
Hino Motors Goes on the Offensive in US Truck Market
Hino Motors Ltd. (TYO:7205) plans to double its annual truck sales in the U.S. to over 20,000 units within the next five years. In addition to increasing its number of medium-duty truck models, the company aims to stabilize revenue by switching over to local procurement of environmentally friendly parts. In its bid to expand overseas...
Mitsubishi Fuso to Launch EV in Each Truck Class by 2020
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. aims to introduce an electric-powered truck in all of the company’s truck classes by 2020. The components to make these electric trucks are being developed primarily by Mitsubishi Fuso, and the company will offer the trucks globally through parent company Daimler AG. Domestic production began in July for Mitsubishi...
Mitsubishi Fuso Launches Fully Revamped Super Great Truck, Aero Buses
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. released a new iteration of its Super Great heavy-duty truck on May 15. The redesign marks the first complete overhaul for the Super Great in 21 years. All versions of the latest Super Great are outfitted with a new, more compact engine and automated mechanical transmission (AMT) that improve...
Isuzu and Apple International Join Forces to Expand Used Car Business
Isuzu Motors Ltd. (TYO:7202) recently announced that it has agreed to form a capital alliance with Apple International Co. Ltd. Isuzu will invest approximately 4 billion yen ($35.74 million) to acquire a 9.9-percent stake in the company, which purchases, sells and exports used cars. The deal is slated to be finalized on May 31. Utilizing...
UD Trucks Announces New Quon Heavy-Duty Truck
UD Trucks Corp. announced on April 11 its plans to launch a new version of the company’s Quon heavy-duty truck. This will be the line’s first full-model revamp in 13 years. The Ageo, Saitama-based company has upgraded the Escot, a proprietary electronically controlled automated manual transmission (AMT) used in the Quon. The new truck is...
For First Time in 10 Years, Japan Sees More Than 90,000 Medium and Heavy-Duty Truck Sales
Japan’s sales of medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks grew 11.2 percent year-on-year for fiscal 2016 to reach 98,106 units, according to industry sources. It is the first time in 10 years that sales figures have topped the 90,000-unit mark. An industry member attributed this increase to strong sales of large cargo trucks throughout the year, as...
Mitsubishi Fuso to Offer Special New Road Service for Next Heavy-Duty Truck
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. will offer a new tire maintenance service for the Super Great heavy-duty truck slated for launch in May. In a partnership with Nihon Michelin Tire Co. Ltd., the Japanese company will roll out a special road service to reach vehicles with single-tire configurations within two hours. The Super Great’s...
Hino Incorporates Modular Principles Into Truck Designs
Hino Motors Ltd. (TYO:7205) will make full-scale improvements to its medium-and heavy-duty trucks this spring, incorporating a new design that will allow the company to roll out product variations in short periods of time. The new design adopts modular principles that will enable Hino to respond quickly to ever-expanding customer needs. Japanese heavy-duty truck manufacturers...
UD Trucks Launches Croner Medium-Duty Truck in Bangkok
UD Trucks Corp. on March 1 launched the company’s new medium-duty truck, the Croner, in Bangkok, Thailand. It was jointly developed with the Volvo Group as a strategic model for emerging markets and can be widely customized to meet the various business needs in the medium-duty segment. After commencing sales in Thailand from March, the trucks will be...
Isuzu to Acquire Kenyan GM Subsidiary, Expand African Market Reach
Isuzu Motors Ltd. (TYO:7202) announced on Feb. 28 that the company will acquire General Motors East Africa Ltd. (GMEA), a subsidiary of General Motors Co. (GM) that deals in the production and import and sales of commercial vehicles in Kenya. Isuzu will purchase a 57.7-percent share in the company from GM for an undisclosed amount,...
Isuzu Localizes Giga for Entry Into China’s Heavy Duty Truck Market
Isuzu Motors Ltd. (TYO:7202) will make a full-scale entry into China’s heavy-duty truck market. The automaker has developed a local model based on its Giga series to suit the needs of the Chinese market. The company will start knock-down (KD) production in China and begin selling the vehicles by year’s end. Isuzu has gained a...
