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Hino moves to automatic transmission to save fuel
According to Ernie Trautmann, vice president of Hino SA, there is a significant swing by the operators of trucks in South Africa towards alternative transmissions instead of a manual gearbox.
Trautmann says what is very important for a truck operator is the fact that comparative tests have shown that Hino 300-Series truck fitted with a six-speed fully automatic transmission is, on average, significantly more economical than a similar truck fitted with AMT.
"We conducted an in-house test over three different routes and then had the results verified by an independent party using proper test equipment. Fuel costs can equate to between 40-60% of truck operating costs, depending on the type of operation, so we are delighted with the results of this fuel economy comparison.
"Hino is the only Japanese truck manufacturer offering a fully automatic transmission in the medium category and will extend this option to its 500-Series heavy trucks when a new model is introduced to South Africa in the last quarter of this year. The new range will also provide us with a 6x4 model which we have not had before," added Trautmann.
