Canter turns 60

February 28, 2023

The Canter – which made its debut in the South African market in the 1980s – is turning 60.

Produced by Fuso – the Japanese subsidiary of Daimler Truck and one of Asia’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers – the first-generation Canter entered the Japanese market in March 1963 as the T720 cab-over type model and was highly acclaimed as best in class for its excellent driving performance and economy.

Since then, it has built up a loyal following the world over (more than 4.5 million Fuso Canters have been produced worldwide) and, as Michael Dietz, president & CEO of Daimler Truck Southern Africa, notes, it has played an important role within the company.

“2023 is indeed an extraordinary year for us as we celebrate a significant trucking milestone – one that is firmly entrenched in our rich global history. I am proud to say that the last 60 years of Canter have been nothing but an exemplification of our steadfast commitment to our valued customers to ensure reliable mobility solutions and excellent value for money,” he tells FOCUS.

Since its first market entrant in South Africa in the early 1980s, Dietz says the Canter has played an integral part in the success of the Fuso brand in the country. “It has deservingly earned its status among customers and drivers alike as the ‘light gallop’ in the light-duty segment,” he notes.

As early as the 1960s, Fuso expanded sales of the Canter into various international markets and became a constant leader in the light truck segment in key markets around the world. In Indonesia, one of Fuso’s first overseas markets, the Canter has maintained the top market share in the light truck segment over the past 48 years. Currently, the Fuso Canter is produced locally in completely knocked down (CKD) plants in 12 markets, while it is sold in over 70 countries around the world.

In 2017, Fuso launched Japan’s first mass-produced electric truck in the light commercial vehicle segment: the eCanter. Its successor, the completely redesigned Next Generation all-electric truck model, was unveiled in 2022. The Next Generation eCanter will go into series production in 2023 at the Fuso plants in Kawasaki, Japan, and Tramagal, Portugal.

Since the 2017 launch, eCanters operating around the world have covered over six million kilometres; the eCanter is expected to continue to drive the future of the logistics industry as a pioneer of decarbonised trucks. “The next 60 years of Canter are exciting and worth looking forward to, as we cast our eyes towards adapting to the rapid shift in the commercial vehicles industry of electrification and connectivity,” predicts Dietz.