Hino's 714 Hybrid is a truck of the future that's available now. David Meredith tests it
This is Hino's second-generation hybrid and it includes a raft of major technological advances. For example, the weight of the major components has been slashed by 52kg and the Power Control Unit is 23 per cent smaller. Output is up dramatically: the hybrid motor now generates 36kW and 44 per cent more torque (350Nm) at just 1000rpm, while battery output is up 9kW to 30kW. Plus you can buy a 714 Hybrid with the rating down to under 4.5-tonne, so you can drive it on a car licence.
But is the Hino Hybrid a diesel/electric truck, a diesel-assisted electric truck, or an electric-assisted diesel truck? It's really a combination of all three, but mostly it's a diesel truck with the bonus of an electric assist, feeding off a bank of batteries that are charged when you're off the throttle or on the brakes. In fact, without the diesel, the hybrid would be going nowhere, unlike the Toyota Prius or Lexus systems which will cruise happily on electric only, if there's enough power in the battery.
It works like this: between the engine and gearbox sits an electric motor, fixed to the flywheel. When you turn the key, the electric motor engages and starts the diesel. You engage first gear to move off and a very busy engine system computer balances the torque of the electric motor (very strong up to 1000rpm) with the torque of the diesel (strongest at between 1100 and 1600rpm) to provide smooth progress as you accelerate. So you don't have to wait for the engine revs to build up to get going.
When you take your foot off the throttle to decelerate, or apply the brakes to decelerate quicker, the electric motor turns into a generator, topping up the batteries. To minimise fuel use and conserve the batteries, when you stop and take the truck out of gear, the engine stops too. When you push the clutch in, the engine starts immediately and you're off again.
Yes, it does seem weird when the truck goes completely quiet at lights and intersections but the result is a significant fuel saving, less wear on brake pads, less clutch wear from hill starts etc and fewer emissions.
One of the trucks was tested on a 512km route, carrying 500kg through nearly 2500 sets of traffic lights. It achieved a fuel consumption figure of 10.9L/100km, which puts some local medium-size sedans to shame...
