At last year’s Busworld, Voith Turbo celebrated the 70th anniversary of its ‘DIWA’ line of automatic transmissions for urban and suburban buses. The German manufacturer had just brought out the latest addition to the DIWA range, the ‘DIWA NXT’. This reimagining of the city bus transmission, incorporating a mild hybrid system (optional), appeared on the scene when it still seemed that fully electric was the only way to go. Markus Bischoff – who is responsible for the DIWA product line – believes the company made a “brave decision” in supporting the development of the mild-hybrid transmission; today, he feels vindicated by the resurgence of interest in hybrids. “The main request we get from our customers,” Bischoff told Truck & Bus Builder, “is affordability.”

The Hilux Rangga, first unveiled at last year’s Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show, is based on the same IMV* platform as exiting Hilux pickup trucks but has a radical new body design.

The company willl use the newly-raised capital to commercialise its technology, starting next year in distribution centres.