Retrofitting light trucks gives Japanese delivery operators a route to electrification that keeps existing vehicles on the road
Japanese firm Yamato Mobility & Mfg. has begun series production and order-based sales of an electric conversion of the Nissan Atlas light truck, targeting last-mile delivery operators. Following a Mitsubishi Fuso Canter conversion launched in 2025, the F24-generation Atlas package covers both gasoline and diesel versions of the truck.
Driver shortages and decarbonisation pressure are lifting demand in Japan for small electric trucks that can be driven on a standard licence. Converted Atlas trucks under 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight meet that need, though licence requirements still follow the base vehicle’s weight, so trucks that needed a semi-medium licence keep that rule.
Before launch, the company completed a 1,000km verification test covering long-distance, highway and night driving alongside urban delivery routes. It says the trucks proved reliable on Japanese roads and in its climate, with conversion partner Autoworks Kyoto handling production.
Reusing existing bodies avoids scrapping them, which Yamato Mobility says limits the CO2 emissions and resource use tied to building and disposing of vehicles. The approach also lets fleets electrify without replacing assets they already own, turning conversion into a cost argument as well as an environmental one.
Several operators have made specific enquiries, and negotiations are under way. Eligible models are the gasoline CBF-SQ2F24, offered in standard and semi-medium licence versions, and the diesel TKG-SZ2F24.
Source: Yamato Mobility
Source: www.automotiveworld.com
