Hino Trucks In!

The top end CV sector comprises absolutely modern technology-laden offerings which ply either as 6x4 rigids with tipper bodies in open and underground mining operations or as 6x2 or 4x2 prime movers in the long haul road haulage operations. The likes of Volvo, Tatra, MAN-Force and Mercedes-Benz are already entrenched in the off-road tipper segments and doing pretty strongly while in the long haul road segment barring Tatra, the others have a strong presence as well.

Hino Motors intends to pitch its 500 Series in rigid configuration in both segments though. For off-road mining duties with a large tipper body, the vehicle will of course be the 6x4 (triple axles with the last two axles transmitting the drive) version. The road haulage duties will be handled by the same vehicle with a variety of cargo bodies in 6x2 drive config. The 500 Series for India will feature Hino's proven FM8J / FL8J power units mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Most aggregates on the 500 Series are all proprietary units, including the transmission and axles. The six-cylinder engine develops 215 - 251bhp (depending on application specified) with 660 to 740 Nm of torque on offer (again depending on specific application).

The key detail which will distinguish the 500 Series rigids from those of the competition would be their power-to-weight ratio which will not compromise the power capability nor sap the fuel efficiency. In fact for a vehicle with GVW of 26 tonnes, the payload component from this could be as high as 16 tonnes informed a senior representative of Hino Motors. The vehicles meet the Euro III and IV norms and they would be imported as fully built units from Hino's Thailand plant. This plant has been in operation since the last 40 years and the Hino 500 Series trucks have proved themselves not just on Japan's billiard smooth roads but also when operating in the rough and tumble terrain in countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and of course Thailand. The India-spec suspension, tyres and wheels plus the brakes would surely be beefed up informed Hino.

Hino Motors began in Japan as a car maker with a collaboration with Renault. However it gave up making cars a long time back, preferring to concentrate on trucks and buses only. Its foray in India will be initially in the form of an investment JV with the well known Japanese trading house Marubeni Corporation and the firm will be known as Hino Motors Sales India Private Ltd in which Hino would hold a 65 per cent share while the rest would be with its partner.

Thailand and India have a FTA agreement which also includes automobiles and this should augur well for this new entrant. The trucks would be imported as fully built units comprising cabin and chassis only, the firm having tied up with local body builders with a range of applications for various operating needs - a pragmatic idea from the cost perspective.

The company, with its HQ in Mumbai, has set itself an ambitious target of 2000 units per annum from the very first year of commercial sales. It is to shortly embark on a dealership development drive and the logic seems to be to have service not just on mining sites where the captive use of its tippers would be omnipotent but also along key hubs on the golden quadrilateral to help ensure the minimal of downtime during service.

Hino intends to adopt a progressive attitude to the trucking business and has already lined up a programme which will see in addition to its middle-weight heavies like the 500 Series, there will be offerings straddling this on either side. This would include the flagship 700 Series and also the smaller 300 Series LCVs. Hino's range of luxury coaches are also on the anvil but no timelines for all these models have been mentioned at the moment. Depending on customer acceptance and also market potential, Hino could very well set-up an assembly base here to make its range of trucks and buses (both luxury coaches and inter-city buses) using CKD kits shipped in from Thailand. Pricing hasn't been outlined as yet for the 500 Series but don't expect it to be south of that one would pay for equivalent Volvos and MAN-Force vehicles.