Daimler Trucks has inaugurated its new Global Hybrid Center at Mitsubishi Fuso in Kawasaki, Japan. Located within the company’s R&D facilities, the Center will be the worldwide hub for Daimler Trucks’ hybrid development.

“The establishment of the Global Hybrid Center shows the increasing focus of Daimler Trucks and Mitsubishi Fuso on developing hybrid commercial vehicles,” said Dr. Eike Böhm, Mitsubishi Fuso Vice President of Product Engineering. “We believe the market for hybrids will expand more rapidly in the future, given the need to further reduce vehicle emissions as well as fuel consumption. The new Center will concentrate our efforts in developing clean, efficient hybrid commercial vehicles to meet market needs now and in the future.”

According to Böhm, the role of the new Global Hybrid Center is to direct and synchronise Daimler Trucks hybrid development activities on a global basis. All of Daimler Trucks hybrid activities will be aligned under the Centre, including regional hybrid personnel at Daimler Trucks divisions Fuso, Mercedes-Benz  and Daimler Trucks North America. A total of 50 people will be affiliated with the Centre.

Fumio Akikawa has been named as Director of the Global Hybrid Centre. A 35-year automotive and truck industry expert,  he will also continue in his current role as Director of Powertrain Development for Mitsubishi Fuso.

Kawasaki was chosen as the location for the Center because of the company’s history and expertise in hybrid vehicle innovation. Mitsubishi Fuso has been developing hybrid vehicles for over 10 years and today offers fuel efficient, low emissions products like the Canter Eco Hybrid light-duty truck and the Aero Star Eco Hybrid bus for the Japan market.

The company has also developed the Canter Eco-D, a concept hybrid light-duty dump truck. Fuso had been serving as the hybrid competence centre for Daimler Trucks. The founding of the Global Hybrid Center expands this role and creates a formal organisational structure for coordinating hybrid development on a global basis.

With the opening of the new Centre, Mitsubishi Fuso also announced it will double the number of its dedicated hybrid engineers to about 35 people.

Mitsubishi Fuso and Subversive Games has received an award from the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) for their truck simulation PC game FUSO Truck Empire (FTE1).

The FUSO Truck Empire game was proclaimed winner of the Best Corporate or Business to Business category. Over 700 people attended the night and winners were chosen by a judging panel made up of over 120 Australian and International experts from across the interactive media spectrum.

Judges comments regarding the game were extremely positive with the game was held in high praise for its originality and content.

The judging panel commented that “Fuso Truck Empire demonstrates an innovative approach to marketing and brand awareness, both of the product and the financing options.”

FTE1 was first released to the Australian public at the Brisbane Truck Show in May 2007 where 5000 copies where snapped up by interested patrons at the Fuso stand. Since then, a further 70,000 copies have been distributed publicly via various magazines, Fuso customer newsletters or dealers.

According to John Speers Marketing Manger for Fuso, the Fuso Truck Empire game has been an interesting exercise. “This type of approach to marketing is very new in our industry. Fuso Truck Empire is not only extremely fun to play, but highly industry relevant.

“It introduces players to the Fuso truck range and allows them to build their own trucking business. It contains a lot of real-life business principles that makes the game both challenging and educational. Feedback from people who have played the game has been extremely positive to date and we have had many customers say they can’t wait to play its sequel.”

Aside from containing the FTE1 game and a sumo memory card game, the game CD also contained product videos and spec sheets for the complete 2007 Fuso truck range, making it an excellent reference tool.

Left to Right: Jean-Marie Guitera (Subversive Games), John Speers (Marketing Manager Fuso Trucks) & Jason Cook (Subversive Games.)

For more information on the Fuso Truck Empire PC game, visit the fun stuff section of the Fuso website.

For more information on this prestigious award or AIMI, please visit their website.