- Five more Hino 300 Hybrids join SMSA fleet.
- Follows two year trial with three trucks.
- 19% fuel saving recorded in urban use.
- 111 kW and 470 N.m combined.
- Financed through KINTO SA Full Maintenance Lease.
SMSA Africa Logistics Group has added a further five Hino 300 diesel-electric hybrid trucks with van bodies to its fleet, following a two year trial with three of the trucks in its delivery operation. The deal is also the first step by KINTO South Africa into Full Maintenance Lease (FML) finance for Hino trucks, which gives local fleet operators a new route to a hybrid medium truck.
Louis Ungerer, Managing Director of SMSA Africa Logistics Group, said the company had yet to experience a breakdown on the hybrids, and that they seemed as reliable as conventional diesel Hino 300 models.
Hino 300 Hybrid fuel savings in service
SMSA recorded fuel savings of 19% in urban deployment. When the trucks were alternated between urban work and outlying areas, average savings came to approximately 14%. According to Ungerer, drivers report no real difference in driving the hybrids compared with the combustion-only Hino models, and the Euro 6 compliant trucks help lower the company’s carbon footprint.
SMSA Africa, which now includes Namlog, distributes Toyota, Lexus and Hino parts and accessories from the Toyota Africa Parts Centre in Ekurhuleni to dealerships in Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, North-West, Northern Cape and Botswana. It operates 470 trucks and employs 870 people.
Hino 300 Hybrid powertrain and transmission
Hino retains the full-size diesel engine in the 300 Hybrid for a long working life and an under-stressed powertrain. An electric motor between the clutch and gearbox works in parallel with the 4-litre turbo-diesel. Combined outputs are 111 kW and 470 N.m, with maximum torque from as low as 1 200 r/min. A six-speed automated manual transmission can be manually overridden by the driver.
Anton Falck, Vice President of Hino SA, said Hino is currently the only local truck manufacturer or importer offering a diesel electric model in the medium truck category. He added that Hino’s 2030 Environmental Milestone targets a 25% reduction in lifecycle CO2 emissions compared to fiscal 2013.
Hino parts supply from Ekurhuleni
Hino parts are stored at the Toyota Africa Parts Centre, which now covers 80 000m2 and also exports Hino parts to 32 other African countries. Anand Pather, Vice President: Toyota Africa Parts Centre and Accessories, said the centre stocks 17 200 unique Hino part numbers valued at R225 million. Dealers within 100km receive two deliveries a day, others receive daily deliveries, and the first time pick rate is 95%.
KINTO SA lease offering for businesses
KINTO SA, wholly owned by Toyota SA Motors, bundles a vehicle lease with service, maintenance, warranty, tracking and insurance for up to 60 months or 200 000km. It runs more than 7 500 Toyota, Lexus and Hino vehicles across more than 300 business customers. Enquiries can be directed to any of the 200-odd Toyota and Lexus dealerships countrywide.
Supplied by MotorPress (Gert Agenbag, Marketing Manager, Hino South Africa)
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