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Forbes is covering an unconfirmed report published in the Nikkei that Hino Motors Ltd will release its diesel-electric Dutro Hybrid truck in Australia this month. A local Australian shipping company is also reported to have made the decision to replace its truck fleet with the Dutro Hybrid. The environmentally-friendly truck was released in the Japanese market in late 2003 and sold around 1,000 units last year.

The Dutro Hybrid has a load capacity of between two and four tonnes and is seen by Hino as the vehicle that can help them triple their overseas truck sales to 150,000 by 2015. Sales in Australia are estimated to be a modest 100 units in Australia in the first year with the roll-out to take place across the South East Asian region.

In October last year, Hino released a new model Dutro Hybrid equipped with a new hybrid system based on the advanced 4-cylinder inline diesel engine NO4C for higher output and enhanced efficiency through the combination of the clean diesel system DPR, new-model permanent magnet motor/generator, batteries and inverter, realizing both environmental performance and fuel efficiency.

Related:

• Volvo revving up its trucks with heavy-duty hybrid drivetrains
• Freightliner will show off new diesel hybrid technology next month

[Source: Forbes]