Hino has been selling its 300 Series Hybrid Electric trucks here in Australia for almost 20 years, and the range of trucks that you can get with Hino’s Hybrid Electric drive system is ever growing.
Having been on the market for so long and with over 1200 300 Series Hybrid Electrics on the road, Hino now knows that this formula works – and is reliable.
The Council Spec Hybrid Electric Tipper, is a bespoke premium-priced tipper which is locally produced and is tailored to suit the specific and unique specifications and requirements of local councils and Government agencies.
It is available in either Wide Cab or Standard Cab with GVMs from 4.5 tonne through to 8 tonne.
The Council Spec truck we tested for this article was fitted with a roof bar with a beacon; electric tipping function rather than transmission PTO-driven so it can better be used in urban areas where noise can be a factor; and large custom tool boxes for carrying equipment for varying jobs.
Power and economy
The Hino Hybrid Electric models are powered by a turbocharged and intercooled four-litre diesel engine. The diesel engine puts out 150hp (110kW) and 470Nm of torque.
This is helped by an AC synchronous electric motor powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery that supplements the diesel drive with 35kW of electrical power.
The electric motor will assist with take-off and sometimes the truck will take off using only the electric motor and then the clutch will engage and the diesel engine will take over.
Start-up of the diesel engine is performed by the hybrid electric motor, which eliminates the need for a traditional starter motor. There’s also no need for an alternator as the electric motor takes care of that too. And the regenerative braking of the electric motor which charges the nickel metal hydride batteries means that you don’t need the service brakes as much. In fact, Hino says that service costs for a Hybrid Electric truck are 16 percent lower than a regular diesel truck.
Hino says that the combination of electric and diesel propulsion will give around 22 percent reduction in fuel usage which has been replicated in our independent testing.
Safety First
The Hino Hybrid Electric range comes standard with Hino’s SmartSafe safety package. This suite of safety equipment is among the most advanced in the industry and includes four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and traction control.
Also included is a pre-collision system which can detect a vehicle in front of the truck using a combination of cameras and radars. If it does detect something, it will warn the driver through visual and audible alerts. If the driver doesn’t react, the system can autonomously apply the brakes.
There is also the Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Pedestrian Detection (PD), a reverse camera with a microphone so the driver can hear what’s going on behind the truck as well as see it.
Inside, you get air bags for the driver and side passenger as well as seatbelt pretensioners.
Comfort and ergonomics
The Hino Hybrid Electric range is really built with the driver in mind. The driver’s seat is comfortable and ergonomically designed, and in the Wide Cab models you get a suspension seat.
Dominating the dash is a 10.1-inch multimedia unit with touch screen that features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has input for up to six cameras.
The steering wheel is adjustable for tilt and reach and has multiple buttons for things such as phone, cruise control, volume and scrolling of the multi-information display.
On the road
If there is one thing to say about these Hino Hybrid Electric, it’s that they are easy to drive. The hybrid system is seamless in its operation. There is nothing that the driver has to do apart from drive the trucks as they would in a normal vehicle.
You don’t need to plug it in, there is no reason to worry about range as you would in a battery-electric vehicle, just put it into D and drive. The gearbox is Hino’s RE62 which is a six-speed automated transmission with fifth gear being direct drive and sixth being the single overdrive.
On the road, the Hino Hybrids are very well mannered with direct steering that doesn’t wander, and plenty of power. Braking is excellent from the four-wheel discs which are aided by the regenerative braking of the electric motor, and the standard exhaust brake which is operated via a stalk on the left side of the steering column. The park brake operates via a drum on the transmission output shaft.
Support systems
As we said, the Hino Hybrid Electric has been around in this country for almost 20 years so Hino has plenty of data on its reliability as well as the benefits it can offer to businesses looking to save money, as well as lower emissions.
With all that knowledge, Hino offers a five-year warranty and roadside assist, as well as capped-price servicing.
Add to that the benefits of Hino Advantage which offers a wide range of integrated support systems to businesses so they can maximise their uptime and minimise time off the road.
Geoff Middleton is a professional journalist who has been writing for national newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He specialises in the commercial vehicle and heavy-duty truck area where he has gained a solid reputation as a no-nonsense journalist who tells it like it is.
Geoff has travelled Australia and the world writing about trucks. He has a multi-combination heavy vehicle licence as well as motorcycle and car licences.