Triton brings the challenge to competitors
The bakkie war has intensified with the local launch of Mitsubishi’s next-generation Triton, an evolution in the iconic bakkie’s 46-year legacy.
- Product News
- 21 November 2024
Three manufacturers have stepped up their effort for alternative energy for their vehicles, especially in the commercial sector.
Toyota Motor Corporation, Isuzu Motors Limited and Hino Motors Limited have joined hands with Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) to develop light-duty fuel-cell (FC) electric trucks for the mass market.
The joint initiative is expected to contribute to the realisation of a hydrogen society, as well as carbon neutrality by expanding the options available for customer use and increasing the demand for hydrogen. The companies will also promote the introduction of FC electric trucks to the market along with their widespread use.
On the road to carbon neutrality, there are various powertrain options that meet customers' demands – including Hybrid Electric Vehicles, Battery Electric Vehicles, and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, depending on the energy conditions in different countries and regions and how customers use their vehicles.
Light-duty trucks are often used by supermarkets and convenience stores for distribution purposes, in addition to supporting people's daily lives. They are also equipped with refrigeration and freezing functions as they are required to drive long distances over extended hours to perform multiple delivery operations in one day. Furthermore, they must also meet requirements such as fast refuelling capability.
The use of FC technology, which runs on high energy density hydrogen and has zero CO2 emissions while driving, is considered effective under such operating conditions.
The four companies will mobilise their combined knowledge – the truck technology that Isuzu and Hino have accumulated over the years as well as Toyota's FC technology – in pursuit of products that meet the performance and conditions required for light-duty trucks. It will be introduced to the market in 2023 and used by the partners at actual distribution sites in Fukushima Prefecture and Tokyo social implementation projects.
The bakkie war has intensified with the local launch of Mitsubishi’s next-generation Triton, an evolution in the iconic bakkie’s 46-year legacy.
Unlike in the past, when dealerships primarily waited for customers to come to them, we now take a more proactive approach, bringing our vehicles directly to places where people gather, allowing them to experience the product first-hand, including offering test drives,” says Gerrie van der Kaay, Dealer Principal at Supergroup Dealerships Jetour Midrand.
JAC Motors added ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) to its X200 2.8L TDI 1.5-tonne single-cab, enhancing safety for both the crew and cargo. This latest upgrade complements the ABS-equipped X200 1.3-tonne double-cab targeted at organisations with labour-intensive crews.
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The Isuzu Foundation, in collaboration with IRONMAN4theKidz, donated R250 000 to three Mossel Bay charities dedicated to uplifting vulnerable youth, families and individuals in need.
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