The reason: Hino Motors concluded that it is “unlikely that the business of Shanghai Hino will grow in a sustainable manner” due mainly to growing sales of electric-powered commercial vehicles and construction machinery in China.

Isuzu said the two companies, “Plan to accelerate joint development of Level 4 autonomous trucks based on a partnership strategy that spans five years."

Both companies are heavily invested in hydrogen as a clean fuel transportation solution.

This move is part of the company's strategy to enhance its electrification capabilities and meet the growing demand for automotive inverters, which are essential for electrified vehicles.

Isuzu confirmed it is to use its ‘GATEX’ commercial vehicle information platform to provide uptime support of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and charging systems by transportation companies globally.

The company said the project aims to not only automate the ordering processes but also monitor shipments and estimate, in real time, the arrival of components at assembly plants across Japan.

The company said the Thai plant would be used to supply markets across South-east Asia, Middle East as well as Latin America, replacing the existing C&E Series models.

The company showcased several of its technologies aimed at supporting the automotive industry’s transition to sustainable mobility, which focused on solutions that contribute to zero-emission vehicle technologies, including innovations in electrification and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

Japan’s commercial vehicle market over 2 tons gvw continued to decline in the second quarter of 2024, by over 6% to 81,114 units from 86,752 units a year earlier.

Sales for commercial vehicles over 2 tons gvw in East Asia’s seven main markets, excluding China, continued to decline in the second quarter of 2024.

MFTBC first started trials of the new model in November 2023 in Kawasaki City, in partnership with the Ministry of the Environment.

Fuso confirmed the trials would take place using its light-duty eCanter trucks equipped with Ample’s swappable battery module.