Deret Transport, one of France's largest logistics companies, has recently opted for the Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid. The Deret Group is among the pioneers of electric mobility in France and now has one of the largest hybrid fleets in Europe, comprising 22 Canter Eco Hybrids.
The Canter is the flagship model of Daimler subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) and is a popular choice of light-duty truck among customers in over 150 countries. According to Deret spokesperson Jean-Luc Fournier, initial trips with the hybrid fleet have revealed a 25 percent reduction in fuel consumption compared with trucks with conventional engines.
Eric Experton, Fuso Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz France, described the decision by logistics service provider Deret Group - a pioneer of electric mobility - to opt for the diesel-electric-powered Canter Eco Hybrid as a major success for Fuso and Daimler Trucks. According to Fournier, crucial factors in favour of the Canter were "the load capacity of over three tonnes and the parallel hybrid, which permits the vehicle to move off quietly in electric mode".
The Deret Group currently has a turnover of 170 million with a workforce of 1700, and is the largest employer in Orleans. Deret carries out all kinds of transportation tasks and is also very well known in Africa and Asia. Frédéric Deret founded the Deret Group as a haulage company in 1947.
Electric vans and hybrid trucks to protect air quality
In order to maintain a decent quality of life and a semblance of traffic flow on the permanently congested boulevards, the embankments along the Seine and in the lanes around Montmartre, for example, Paris - like all major cities - has imposed increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
For city logistics, Deret uses a depot at the docks in the Paris suburb of Genneviller. The pallets with the goods for delivery in the morning are delivered here at night by truck from Deret's central depot near Orleans and prepared according to the scheduled routes. In the interests of the environment, Paris has introduced even more stringent regulations, however. Diesel vehicles are only allowed to enter the city between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. During the day, only trucks with gas engines and with exhaust systems complying with the Euro VI standard or higher are permitted. Deret thus required a different solution for the trucks supplying the temporary storage facility in Genneviller. This task will be carried out in future by the Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids.
Deliveries with the environment-friendly Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid
The Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid, which was unveiled at the International Motor Show in Hanover in September 2012, is the first series production hybrid light-duty truck in Europe. In view of the moderate additional price for the hybrid drive technology, when covering average mileage the investment in the Canter Eco Hybrid pays off in a matter of a few years. At the same time, the environment benefits from several tonnes less of CO2 and substantially lower noise emissions. In Europe the Canter Eco Hybrid is always delivered with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 7.5 tonnes, whereby the chassis has a load capacity of up to 4.8 tonnes. The core of the diesel-electric drive system is the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine rated at 110 kW (150 hp), which is supported by an electric motor with an output of 40 kW (55 hp). The turbodiesel delivers 370 Nm of torque in the rev range from 1320 to 2900 rpm. The electric motor manages 200 Nm, with its full power output available as soon as the drive system is started up. The benefits of the diesel-electric drive come into play first and foremost in distribution and consolidation operations. These areas of work are carried out for the most part with box bodies, as is also the case with the Deret Group.
New: Fuso Canter with "Ecofficiency" package as 8.55-tonner
The Deret Group fully subscribes to the new environmental awareness in France and has announced that from 2014 it will be equipping its fleet with Euro VI vehicles only. The latest developments regarding the Fuso Canter chime in perfectly with these intentions. The new Canter range was presented in Tramagal (Portugal) in the middle of October: the vehicles comply with Euro 5b+ or Euro VI, according to weight category (reference mass = kerb weight). Beyond this, there are numerous other new features. The standard-fit "Ecofficiency" package comprises a variety of measures designed to reduce fuel consumption, such as higher injection pressures of 2000 bar, the use of fuel-efficient engine oil, engine start/stop function and longer axle ratios. The variants with a permissible gross vehicle weight above 6.5 t and rated at 110 kW (150 hp) and 129 kW (175 hp) additionally feature tyres with optimised rolling resistance and an enhanced diesel particulate filter. These engine variants employ BlueTec 6 technology with an SCR catalytic converter. A new top weight variant with a GVW of 8.55 tonnes enables a load capacity of up to six tonnes for the chassis, marking a new benchmark. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP), ABS with electronic brake force distribution and an engine brake offering 50 kW of braking power all feature as standard. The "Duonic" automated dual clutch transmission also remains available ex factory. The Duonic enables driving without manual gear-shifting and greatly reduces the driver's workload during manoeuvring and in stop-and-go traffic.
