Daimler Trucks has announced the conclusion of a one-year customer trial of its Mitsubishi Fuso Canter E-Cell battery-electric truck. 

The trials were conducted in Portugal and were co-funded by the nation’s Public Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation. Eight vehicles were tested in everyday use in short-range delivery and inner-city transportation.

“The vehicle underlines our commitment to thinking ahead and developing sustainable and reliable transportation solutions to the benefit of our customers and society as a whole,” said Marc Llistosella, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso.

The trucks achieved a range of around 62 miles, which exceeded the average distance many short-radius distribution trucks traveled daily, according to Daimler. The Fuso Canter E-Cell had a payload of two tons, which was required for customers to operate their fleet efficiently.

Preliminary analysis showed that the trucks gained customers a cost savings of about 1 Euro (currently $1.11) per 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). The trucks were used in several applications including horticultural, waste disposal, recyclable waste, and delivery uses.

“The results of the trials prove that we are on the right track,” said Llistosella. “The customers in the test trial experienced the Canter E-Cell as an efficient and reliable concept fully meeting the demands of urban delivery transport.”