Hino projects record year as range expands

HINO Australia is forecasting a record year for its 700 Series heavy-duty range, following a recent range expansion that the truck-maker says has tripled its order intake across the past six months.

The expansion has taken Hino’s 700 Series lineup from 20 to 31 model variants, courtesy of a newly developed M112 12-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) that opens additional power ratings for its 9.0- and 13.0-litre engines.

New 9.0-litre variants include the FH1836 4x2, FS2636 6x4, and FY3036 8x4 models, which now produce 360hp (up from 320hp) and 1569Nm, equipped with the new 12-speed AMT.

Where the 9.0-litre models previously used a six-speed Allison Automatic transmission limited to 320hp, the higher power rating and increased gear spread unlocks a higher 26-tonne GVM and 45-tonne GCM, opening applications previously out of reach for Hino.

Stepping up, the new FS2845 – offered with either airbag or leaf-spring drive axle – offers a more efficiency-focused 450hp/2157Nm from the 13.0-litre engine, down from 480hp but with the same torque output, when mated to the new AMT.

The 13.0-litre remains available in 480hp guise paired with the existing ZF 16-speed Traxon AMT, but the new 12-speed FS2845 is positioned at council and civil works operators chasing fuel economy over outright grunt.

Hino’s expanded range arrives against a softening market, but it is bucking the trend to achieve a second-place position on the overall truck sales ladder in April with 335 units delivered.

“Increased customer enquiry and a healthy order bank leading into the start of the year has supported our decision to further increase production for 700 Series for 2026 – we are confident this year will be our strongest year ever for 700 Series sales,” said Hino Australia president and CEO Richard Emery.

“Our order bank continues to grow on the back of our expanded range, and our order intake has tripled over the last six months, which is a strong start.”

The range expansion lands as Hino navigates fresh ownership, with the company’s local arm transitioning on 1 April to sit under Archion – the joint Daimler Truck and Toyota holding company that took ownership of Hino globally – though Mr Emery told GoAuto that it will be a few years before Hino reaps the benefits.

“There will be stuff, but not for the Hino brand,” he said.

“I don’t think we’ll see any upside in terms of what’s available to us and how we go to market inside three or four years.”

Mr Emery also outlined that hybrid-electric momentum continues to build, with Hino’s 300 Series Hybrid up 24 per cent year-on-year and a hybrid-electric tipper variant slated for the upcoming Euro 6 compliant 300 Series.

He also confirmed the model will enter production in June with the standard 150hp model, followed by higher-horsepower and crew cab variants in mid-2027, while the Euro 6 compliant 500 Series goes on sale in July with deliveries from early 2027 – closing what will have been a near two-year production gap for the brand’s medium-duty range.

Hino has also extended its standard warranty to five years/600,000km across the 700 Series, backdated to 1 January 2026, matching existing cover on the 300 Series and previewing what the Euro 6 500 Series will arrive with next year.