Fuso eCanter to join Australia Post fleet

This month, Australia Post will become the first Australian customer to adopt Mitsubishi Fuso’s eCanter for their delivery fleet.

Twenty units of the all-electric eCanter will join a zero-emissions fleet that currently numbers 3,000 vehicles (the largest in Australia), but the vast majority of those are scooters and trikes. The eCanters are expected to contribute to Australia Post’s target of reducing overall emissions by 15 per cent by 2025 from 2019 levels.

Rated under the 7.5-ton GVM class, the eCanter’s electric drive system incorporates a motor producing 135kW and 390Nm, and six high-voltage (370V, 13.5kWh) lithium-ion battery packs. Using quick-charging stations, the truck takes approximately 1.5 hours to fully recharge and offers a range of 100km per charge. 

These trucks will run in major cities across Australia to support parcel deliveries, while Australia Post’s StarTrack subsidiary, which provides express logistics solutions, will also be operating the eCanter.

The trucks will be supported by the Fuso retail network and the e-mobility experts at Daimler Truck and Bus Australia, which oversees the import and distribution of FUSO, Mercedes-Benz, and Freightliner brand commercial vehicles.

Built in Portugal, the eCanter units for Australia Post come with the same standard specifications as models currently available in Japan and Europe. Each truck is fitted with a high number of safety features, such as Advanced Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Electronic Stability Program.

Before adopting the eCanter, the truck was tested rigorously in a six-month local trial, during which it was operated with a maximum load to simulate operating conditions.