New Hino COE Diesel-Electric Hybrid to Debut in U.S.
A new cab-over-engine (COE) Class 5 work truck from Hino will be shipped to select markets across the U.S. by the fall, and one of the engine options for the Toyota-owned truck will be a newly refined turbo-diesel electric-hybrid powertrain that could have major implications for the powertrain options offered on the Toyota Tundra.
We first saw the system highlighted at this year's ACT Expo in Long Beach, Calif. The Hino 195h uses a 5.0-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel (and intercooled) engine, electric motor/generator, a six-speed Aisin transmission, a massive nickel-metal hydride battery and a selective catalytic reduction system with a 4.7-gallon diesel exhaust fluid tank. (If you'd like to see a video of how the system works, click here, and scroll to the bottom of the page.)
As you might imagine, this system is pretty heavy, altogether weighing about 2,000 pounds. However, given that the Hino 195h has a gross vehicle weight rating of 19,500 pounds and is likely to run multiple short-distance loaded and unloaded duty cycles, the extra weight isn't much of a drawback for a Class 5 vehicle. Unfortunately, if some reports are correct, those weight numbers would need to be seriously scaled down if this system were to make it into a full-size Tundra.
Rated at 210 horsepower and 440 pounds-feet of torque, the small turbo-diesel could be made to work quite well in a Tundra, hybrid or not, as long as the inverter and battery pack can be modified to be smaller and lighter than the current model. Also, we were told there may be some issues in making this system work with a four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive transfer case, as the driveline is already bulky and heavy. Since the system has a start/stop interface clutch between the engine and motor, adding a transfer case into the driveline could be problematic, not to mention space is tight to get a prop shaft to send power to the front axle.
Given the timing of these Hino trucks and the engineering we suspect is necessary to make a modified version work in the Tundra (could something be modified for the Tacoma?), we suspect we'll see something for the 2015-16 model year, but we don't have any confirmation of that. Regardless, this technology looks well done (our only modification would be to add some kind of 110v power outlet generation for various camping or work tool usage), and we're hoping to get some time in one of these trucks as soon as we can. Stay tuned for driving impressions of the Hino cab-over-engine later this year.
Comments
How about ditching all of the battery stuff and putting that 5 Litre diesel into a Tundra?
@Mark Williams we have these already.
http://www.hino.com.au/Models_Hybrid_Landing.aspx?TabID=3
Isuzu Australia has instead gone for a CNG vehicles, it did not like selling a Hybrid here.
http://www.isuzu.com.au/truck-range/cng-models.aspx
Currently Isuzu is the leader in the small/light market by a fair margin.
How about puting a Hilux's V-4 diesel into a Tundra or a Tacoma. Are you listening Mr.Toyoda?
@Lou,
The Hino diesel is not a high output version needed for Pickups.
#Sam , the Hilux V6 is also a bit long in the tooth and not currently cutting edge. Toyota has just signed an agreement to develop collectively with PSA a new series of Vans to replace it's Hiace. So I expect that wouls also mean some cutting edge smaller diesels.
http://www.caradvice.com.au/183036/psa-peugeot-citroen-make-vans-toyota-europe/
@Lou and Robert Ryan
I would drop our V8 4.5 turbo diesel from the Landcrusier into the Tundra.
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/53722/2012-toyota-landcruiser-200-series-on-sale-in-australia
I wonder what MPG this will get over a standard class 5 COE truck or versus a Ford F550 or Cornbinder TerraStar.
IMHO there may be a place for alternative powered trucks like CNG or electric however I am not sold on hybrids in trucks as the mechanical systems become complex and add potential failure points.
5.0L 4-cylinder! Wow, must be a real shaker!
I would much rather see them use the twin-turbo 4.5L V8 diesel found in the Aussie Land Cruiser 200 GX.
http://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-200/specifications/gx-turbo-diesel
Excellent Concept.
Carries lot of stuff and uses a small V4 Diesel Hybrid Engine that consumes much less fuel. Great, we need many more cab over engine box trucks here in USA.
This can carry as much stuff as 3 Pickups at a time. Asia / Europe is full of this type of vehicles.
I take it this is a regular series-parallel hybrid and not a plug-in. Why the need for a massive NiMH battery then? It probably only needs 3-4kWhr batter which isn't very large or heavy but a Li-Ion would obviously be both smaller is volume and lighter although likely a bit more expensive. Considering the long lifespan of the diesel you'd think they'd opt for the Li to get them another 150k miles of use. the extra couple of hundred dollars would be trivial compared to the lifespan increase.
I too expect the F150 and Tundra to use a hybrid of some kind by 2015 to meet the CAFE standards but it will probably be with a base V-8 on Atkins cycle and a 2-3 kWhr Li-Ion battery. This won't be overly expensive, prboably the same or less than a smaller diesel and will probably beat the diesel in MPG's by a hair all while using the less expensive fuel.
It will be interesting to see which route takes off over the next 3 years.
I am pretty sure that a motor that puts out 210 hp is DOA in the American market. Everyone will take it out for a test drive, pound the accelerator to merge or just to see how it feels, and then sit aghast as it accelerates like a turtle. 210 HP motor = dead tundra sales. Unless it gets 100 miles per gallon or something.
@phillyguy
I would think your right 210hp doesn't seem like it would be enough for the NA 1/2 ton pickup market but keep in mind that tune is for a class 5 truck so I would think Toyota would give it a different tune for the Tundra.
What I wish they would do is make it like a diesel locomotive, where there is a prime mover, a generator, some electronic controls, and then electric motors at one or both axles. The engine would not have to work so hard and the electric motors are really efficient at delivering the torque!
A system that would translate better to the Tundra would be one for the smaller Dyna COE trucks. Can't be too far off.
@Lou- that MD lump has no place in a 1/2ton truck- Toyota DOES however have a much better large displacement choice in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_VD_Engine. More power and it packages in the same space. A 5liter 4cylinder is tall, like a Cummins B series, and tough to integrate.
@Sam- the Hilux has an I4 diesel- V4 engines are all but non-existent in on-road vehicles these days. Even with 180hp, I think they'd still be leary to put the 1KD in the Tundra, especially since it doesn't have SCR yet. We'll see if it gets upgraded or replaced.
@MJ- all depends on the drive cycle- you can expect those w/o a class5 hybrid will quickly come up with a test that shows their own trucks delivering better miles/gallon/ton.
210hp for the ICE in a hybrid should be fine. The electric motor will add another 100-150hp.
A hybrid is optimal for stop and go type work. Not over the road.
You wouldn't need a transfer case if they used electric motors for the front wheels of a 4x4 Tundra
@MrKnowitall.It is the Landcruiser engine that comes in twin turbo or single turbo for the L70. The Hilux engine is a bit old hat, needs an upgrade.
@Volume, the Cabover small trucks are everywhere in Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
@5.3 LOL They would not use this engine for the Tundra
@Robert Ryan
I think it would be hard and expensive to make a scaled down version for the Tundra so I don't think they will. The more I think about it I don't think their will ever be a diesel Tundra but I don't work for Toyota and maybe you do or you know someone who does in which case you no more.
This is a good start. Let the manufactures figure things out. It's these test beds that emerge into something that can eventually be applied to our beloved pick-up!
On another news today, Ford is launching C-Max Energi (Plugin) at a price of $ 33.7K with Lithium battery.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2012/07/2013-ford-c-max-energi-priced-at-33745.html
More Hybrids/Plugins with Lithium are coming in while Toyota is holding on to their own proven Nickel battery. Time will tell which will take over.
@Mr Knowitall - true. My comment was based more on the fact that a small diesel would be cheeper and more durable than a hybrid system for a pickup.
It would be nice if someone would "p'ss or get off the pot" when it comes to diesel engines in 1/2 tons or small trucks.
@ mhowarth - a small diesel might be a better choice for a running a "powerplant" as opposed the the 4.3 V6 Via Motors Chevy mentioned in the "Leno" thread.
I suspect that a "baby diesel" would find greater exceptance among the pickup truck crowd than hybrids.
I am putting a 4.5 twin turbo diesel out of a 200 landcruiser into a 2010 tundra, engine mounts are only 15mm different , trans is the same . Converting the tundra to RHD at the same time here in New Zealand. All I have to do know is the wiring and remount the seats . Does anyone have a PDF of 2010 Tundra wiring diagram as well as 200 series landcruiser . A lot of the plugs are the same but still nees a lot of work. Using the dash out of the landcruiser too.
I would say the hybrid system that makes the most sense would be one that uses strictly electric drive with the diesel doing nothing more than powering the generator. This system has been working well for almost 100 years in railroad locomotives and even there the battery storage system is at work with units called "yard goats"--in other words, switching units that spend more time accelerating and decelerating than trying to maintain a steady speed. This type of hybrid is perfect for a delivery truck.
What I don't agree with is the hybrid system used by most brands--specifically those used by Toyota and licensed to other automakers. Yes, I will grant that it lets the battery support the engine for acceleration, but you really don't gain anything because the engine included is effectively too small to power both the generator AND the wheels. Electric motors put out far more torque at low RPM so they need to be the primary movers, not a mish-mash of electrical/mechanical parts. Not only are you creating more possible points of failure, but you're also cranking around more moving parts that parasitically leech away energy that could be either directly driving the axle or powering the generator.
Nice one...Good for moving .. Look like a moving truck...
Must be a slow news week.
In case you didn't remember posting this:
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/12/toyota-wants-hybrid-technology-in-tundras.html
A 2015 Tundra with a 210 hp 5.0L 4-cylinder diesel and parallel hybrid is laughable due to NVH issues alone.
Even more so with the existing Lexus RWD hybrid system having hi-lo range and the ability to handle a 400 hp V8.
You can keep your 200 horsepower 8000 lb Tundra in your imagination where it belongs, this never should have been news. Large displacement 4-cyl diesel in anything below 3/4 ton = hell freezing over, nevermind coupled with a heavy expensive hybrid drive.
I hope this is another effective move towards a greener environment. More reserahces will be necessary.
All truck drivers should go green!
The Dep in Western Pa just gave out $25k to fleet 30K# trucks to switch over. Waste mgt was one of the takers. They have the extra gas at their sites.
The Gov't wont allow retail sales until they figure out how to collect road tax. If I have a Cng over electric then I dont need to goto the gas station. I have natural gas at my home or shop and either electric or a Skystream or Helix wind generator on 220 in my yard.
It a shame that the automobile mfg charge a higher price for the hybrids thinking that everyone will benefit from rebates from our defunct Irs. Some retail customers wont beable to write off the hybrid.
Great New about New Hino. I like the Hybrid system.
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