The 3.5 tonne Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Electric LPG truck has been launched by Eco City Vehicles for the UK market with CO2 emissions of under 100gm/km. 

This is available in van configuration as shown and will shortly become available as a caged tipper to meet the requests of local authorities.

The vehicles are driven by electric motors which are powered by on board batteries which can be charged overnight. Uniquely, in addition there is a highly efficient on board 1.0 litre LPG generator used to top up the batteries to extend the vehicle range to over 120 miles with a payload of 1 tonne.

Plans are in course for a 7.5 tonne version

Peter DaCosta who heads the company said:

“We believe we have developed a real commercial solution to help the environment and an alternative to pure electric. Our vehicle has been designed to eliminate the fear that an electric vehicle will run out of power and be unable to return to base. It also gives a range on full power sufficient for companies to do a day’s work and return home.”

ECV whose chairman is former Tory minister Tim Yeo, has signed terms with the truck’s maker (VEM in Italy) for exclusive distribution in the UK and Ireland. ECV is a subsidiary of KPM-UK Taxis, one of the largest taxi dealers in London and an “LPGA Approved Installer” for converting black cabs to run on LPG. The truck is currently manufactured in Portugal but DaCosta hopes to build the vehicles at ECV’s Coventry factory which already completes the Mercedes Vito taxi conversions.

Mike Chapman, Autogas Manager for UKLPG said “ An LPG hybrid is always going to be greener and cleaner than a petrol or diesel one and using LPG technology in this way is a clear route to maximising the environmental advantages when making electric vehicles a practical alternative to conventional vans.