Two Hino 165 conventional Class 4 trucks powered by a diesel/electric hybrid system will be arriving in the U.S. next month. The trucks will be used to demonstrate the Hino proprietary system and could eventually be assigned to long-term field tests with a package delivery fleet, according to a company spokesman.

Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in mid November, the hybrid is based on the new Hino conventional models developed specifically for the North American market and built at the company’s new Long Beach, CA, plant. A cabover version of the hybrid has already been introduced as a production model for the Japanese domestic market where virtually all truck makers have moved quickly to offer electric hybrid medium trucks and busses.

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