Toyota Hino-backed semi brand Tern adds 6×2 tandem axle variant

After launching its first-ever battery-electric Class 8 truck at the 2024 ACT Expo, the Toyota Hino-backed Tern brand announced the launch of its second electric semi truck. Meet the new Tern RC8 6×2 80k tractor.

Announced as a joint venture between Toyota Group’s Hino Trucks brand and Hexagon Purus, Tern Trucks is specifically focused on electrifying “practical” commercial vehicle applications like day cabs and yard tractors. The company’s first RC8 4×2 electric truck offered a 68,000 lb. GVWR, but the new 6×2 version packs a whopping 80,000 lb. GVWR that puts it squarely into big electric semi truck territory – but with big efficiency numbers to back it up.

“In mixed duty cycles and real-world applications, with many different drivers (and driving styles) our fleet-wide energy consumption landed at an impressive average 1.79 kWh/mi,” the company announced on LinkedIn. “Part of the secret is a proprietary adaptive accelerator map, which effectively turns even the most lead-footed drivers into efficiency-minded veterans. The result is surprisingly consistent energy consumption across different drivers, giving fleet managers better predictability and control over energy costs.”

That compares favorably to the previously announced 1.7 kWh/mi announced by Tesla for its battery-electric semi, though falls short of the company’s claimed 1.55 kWh/mi performance during a three week test with Costco, which we covered here. On the other hand, the Tern RC8 electric semi is available at over 200 Hino dealers across North America, however, while Tesla continues to push back series production dates for its Semi.

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Read into that what you will.

Tern RC8 electric semi

Energy for the new Tern RC8 6×2 comes from dual Hexagon Purus Gen3 269 kWh battery packs in a 750-volt, 538 kWh “dual battery” configuration that sends electrons to a powerful, 680 peak horsepower electric motor (494 continuous) food for a 260 mile range under load. Once the battery is spent, the truck has the ability to go from 0-80% charge in less than two hours on a reasonably accessible 240 kW connection.

The company says thius newest addition to the lineup brings all the efficiency and driver-focused design of the two-axle RC8 to a heavier-duty application that’s perfect for higher GCW LTL, drayage, and regional delivery routes.

Electrek’s Take

It’s hard to act surprised that a Toyota brand is going to be supported by Toyota’s existing dealer network, but it’s worth noting that, while Toyota is marketing/lobbying against EVs on the one hand, it’s quietly investing big bucks into battery electric on the other.

My guess: as soon as Toyota has a viable BEV on the market, they’ll “suddenly” realize that BEVs were the way to go all along. #bet

SOURCE | IMAGES: Tern.

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