The first light electric truck in the Philippines formally went on sale last week after being introduced at a truck show last month. Specially designed for the hot and humid conditions of Asia, as well as the flooded streets during the rainy months, the Foton Tornado EV 4×2 costs P3.6M (~$66,200).
The price is competitive considering that diesel light trucks are near or within the range of P3.0 million (~$55,000) to P3.4 million (~$64,000). These include offerings from Fuso, Isuzu, Hino and Mitsubishi.
“We want to be at the forefront of commercial vehicle electrification in the Philippines,” said Levy Santos, general manager of Foton Philippines, CleanTechnica during the Big Show launch event. The Big Show is the annual exhibition of its products in Foton’s Philippines, which was thwarted for three years due to the pandemic.
“Electric commercial vehicles will slowly emerge on the scene due to increased concerns about sustainability, continued implementation of the Philippine Clean Air Act and road safety concerns,” Edmund Araga, president of the Electric Vehicles Association of the Philippines (EVAP), told CleanTechnica.
In the Philippines, the proliferation of reused or redesigned trucks is a major problem in terms of emissions and road safety. Many of these trucks, originating in Japan, have been converted from right-hand drive to left-hand drive and usually have diesel engines that have not been fully tested for emissions. photos believes that the powertrain of an electric truck will also be highly efficient and sustainable.
The Foton Tornado EV 4×2 uses a permanent magnet synchronous motor with a peak power of 154 hp and a torque of 300 Nm. With a range of 208 kilometers, the truck can deliver in the city with a payload of one tonne. According to Foton, the engine provides sufficient acceleration, enough to accelerate from 0 to 50 km/h in just 9 seconds and reach a top speed of 90 km/h. More impressive, however, is the truck’s climbing ability: the steepest hill a truck can climb with maximum torque in the lowest gear is 20%.
Charging is via an AC charger. It takes 12 hours to charge the battery from 20% to 100%. It also has an option of a high capacity DC charger that is fully charged in 2-4 hours.
“Foton Motor Philippines has always strived to be at the forefront of mobility solutions. We were the first Chinese car brand to break into the top 10 in the Philippine market, long before other Chinese brands entered the country. And now we’ve rolled out another game-changer in the Foton Tornado EV,” added Santos.
The Foton Tornado EV weighs 6,000 kilograms (GVW) with a payload of 3,600 kilograms and an empty weight of 2,400 kilograms. It measures 5,960 x 1,925 x 2,260 mm on a wheelbase of 3,360 mm. It is stopped using a traditional hydraulic system for easy maintenance and repairs. Safety features include ABS, EBD, central locking with remote key and reversing sensor as standard. Comfort and convenience is provided by a built-in air conditioning system, multimedia (MP3/Aux/USB) audio system, adjustable steering wheel and power windows.
“We are doubly excited that this state-of-the-art, all-electric truck will make its debut at our Foton’s Big Show, which has always been a favorite event of truck enthusiasts and users alike, with record orders from small to large corporate entrepreneurs year after year,” Santos concluded.
Foton Motor in China is actively promoting its range of electric vehicles, including the Thunder EV truck, in domestic and international markets. The company has set a goal of increasing annual sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs), including electric vehicles, to 200,000 units by 2025.
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