Summary
– Toyota is launching a 100% battery-electric pickup truck, but it may not be available in the US
– The new “Tern” Class 8 heavy duty electric truck will be available in the US, under Toyota Group’s Hino branch
– Hino has partnered with Hexagon Purus for the battery-electric truck, valued at $2 billion
– Hexagon plans to produce 10,000 Class 8 trucks for Hino by 2030 to meet California’s Clean Trucks regulations
– The Tern electric truck is expected to have a range of 200 miles for city duty cycles, using Hexagon’s Gen3 269kWh battery packs
Article
Toyota is launching a 100% battery-electric pickup truck, named the Tern, under its Hino branch. This move is significant as Toyota has been late to the battery-electric party. The Tern electric truck is the result of a partnership between Hino and Norwegian battery and fuel cell firm Hexagon Purus, with a deal valued at $2 billion. The trucks will be based on Hino’s XL 4×2 truck chassis and will feature Hexagon Purus’ zero-emission technology, including battery systems, auxiliary modules, and power modules. The ultimate goal is to produce 10,000 Class 8 trucks for Hino by 2030 in order to meet California’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulations.
Hexagon Purus expects the new Tern RC8 truck to start rolling off the assembly line in Dallas, Texas, later this year. The truck will use a Hino chassis assembled in the US and an e-axle from Dana. Panasonic Energy is currently providing battery cells from Japan, but future deliveries are expected to come from Panasonic’s operation in Kansas. The Tern truck is named after the Arctic Tern bird for its endurance and efficiency, and Hexagon is confident in its cold weather performance.
The Tern electric truck is designed for city duty cycles, offering a range of about 200 miles on a 750-volt, 538 kWh configuration. Hexagon is focusing on electrifying practical commercial vehicle applications to benefit drivers while minimizing operational adaptations for fleet customers. The battery range and supportive technologies for electric trucks are rapidly improving, with fleet owners adopting strategies to maintain lithium-ion battery performance in cold weather.
In addition to the Tern battery-electric truck, Hino and Toyota have plans for a Class 8 fuel cell truck for the North American market. Hexagon Purus could potentially partner with Hino on this project as well. Other developments in the market for zero emission mobility include a new Mitsubishi-Hino holding company, involving Daimler’s stake in Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp., aiming to push for hydrogen fuel cell technology. Overall, Toyota is making strides in the electric truck market with the Tern while looking towards future fuel cell electric truck offerings.
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