Hino entered the Class 8 market in 2018 with the debut of its XL models, and at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Las Vegas Monday the Toyota subsidiary entered the zero-emission heavy truck segment in a round about way.
In partnership with Hexagon Purus, the companies will launch Tern, a dedicated zero-emission truck brand, and as part of that partnership will come the Tern RC8, an all battery electric semi built on Hino’s XL Series 4x2 chassis. Hexagon Purus is a provider of hydrogen Type 4 high-pressure cylinders and systems, battery systems and vehicle integration solutions for fuel cell electric and battery electric vehicles.
In October 2020, Hino unveiled its Project Z – a development path to zero emissions Class 4 through Class 8 trucks, leaning on partnerships with technology leaders in advanced electrification drive systems, and in 2021 rolled out its its Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell truck prototype.
The partnership announced Monday is not a joint venture, Hino confirmed to CCJ. Tern is a Hexagon Purus brand. Hino’s collaboration with Hexagon Purus is as a distributor of the Tern truck, and as a supplier of the 4x2 XL cab and chassis. Hino Trucks will serve as the exclusive dealer for Tern trucks and production is expected to kick off later this year.
With a 58-degree wheel cut and a curb weight of of 18,000 pounds, Todd Sloan, executive vice president of battery systems and vehicle integration, said the RC8 is "the lightest Class 8 BEV tractor in the industry."
Tern's debut marks at least the second time a global automotive giant has entered the EV space under a new brand. Just more than a year ago, Daimler Truck debuted its Rizon brand, the company's new lineup of Class 4/5 medium-duty electric cabover trucks.
The RC8 features a proprietary battery systems, auxiliary modules, and power modules, and uses a U.S.-assembled Hino chassis, Dana’s Zero-8 e-Axle, and battery cells supplied and manufactured by Panasonic Energy.
The RC8 fully battery-electric platform features a short wheelbase (165 inches), and a gross vehicle weight rating of 68,000 lbs. Supplying the power (peak/continuous horsepower of 680hp/494hp) are dual Hexagon Purus Gen3 269 kWh battery packs in a 750-volt, 538kWh configuration. A recharge rate of 241 kW allows for an 80% charge in under 2 hours.
