A major shakeup is coming to the global truck industry—and it could have important implications for the Australian and New Zealand markets. Daimler Truck, Mitsubishi Fuso, Hino Motors, and Toyota Motor Corporation have announced that they have concluded Definitive Agreements to integrate Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino Motors on an equal footing, aiming to create a new Japanese truck powerhouse.
The agreement will see Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino collaborate on the development, procurement, and production of commercial vehicles, under a newly listed holding company scheduled to start operations in April 2026. Daimler Truck and Toyota each intend to hold 25% of the listed company, which will fully own both Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino.
The combined group will have more than 40,000 employees and an ambition to drive the development of key technologies for the commercial vehicle sector, including CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric) technologies and hydrogen solutions.
Why now?
The four companies emphasised the importance of commercial vehicles as part of global social infrastructure and their shared aim to contribute to a “sustainable and prosperous mobility society.” They cited the need to tackle key industry challenges, including:
- Achieving carbon neutrality
- Improving logistics efficiency
- Increasing business efficiency through shared development, procurement and production
- Strengthening the global competitiveness of Japanese truck manufacturers.
A new regional force?
The big question for fleet buyers and transport operators in Australia and New Zealand is this: how will this alliance impact how Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino operate in our region?
Both brands are strong players in Australia and New Zealand’s light, medium, and heavy truck segments. Historically, they have operated as independent businesses with separate sales, dealer, service, and parts networks.
- Will the holding company seek to integrate or rationalise distribution and dealer arrangements?
- Could fleets see more cross-brand sharing of technology, components or platforms across Fuso and Hino product lines?
- Will this lead to product overlap, or sharper market segmentation between the two brands?
- Will there be impacts on parts pricing, warranty policies or support?
- Could the new structure bring faster innovation and more advanced CASE features to our markets?
These are critical questions for local buyers, especially given the vital role both brands play in last-mile delivery, urban transport, construction, and infrastructure sectors.
Leadership and next steps
The new holding company will be headquartered in Tokyo, with Mitsubishi Fuso CEO Karl Deppen appointed as CEO of the combined group.
According to Deppen, the move represents an opportunity to “bundle strengths” and “even better support customers in their transportation needs in the future”.
Hino CEO Satoshi Ogiso called the collaboration a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” and stressed the importance of building a strong team that blends the cultures of both companies.
Toyota CEO Koji Sato framed the deal as the “starting line” for creating the future of commercial vehicles, while Daimler Truck CEO Karin Rådström emphasised that scale is key in the transformation of the industry, particularly when it comes to decarbonisation.
Implications for local fleets
As the holding company is not scheduled to go live until April 2026, there are still many unknowns. However, the potential exists for:
✅ Consolidated product development pipelines — which could result in more advanced trucks, faster.
✅ Greater investment in zero-emission trucks, particularly in hydrogen where both Fuso and Toyota have made significant gains.
✅ Opportunities for cost efficiencies — possibly translating to competitive pricing, but also the potential for changes to existing brand strategies.
✅ Closer alignment between Fuso and Hino offerings — raising questions about differentiation and brand identity in markets like Australia and New Zealand.
Key questions for Australia and New Zealand
For our region, transport operators, dealer networks and fleet buyers will be watching closely. Some key questions to keep an eye on:
- Will Fuso and Hino remain separate brands in Australia and New Zealand—or will they become a combined business unit?
- How will dealer networks be affected? Will dealers be offered dual franchises, or will the brands continue to compete for shelf space?
- Could warranty terms, parts availability, and support be aligned or changed?
- Will local operators see faster access to advanced CASE features or hydrogen trucks thanks to this alliance?
- Will the combined strength of Fuso and Hino improve competitiveness against European, American and Chinese brands in our market?
Conclusion
While the full impacts of the deal are yet to emerge, the move signals a major shift in the global truck industry—and one that Australian and New Zealand operators cannot ignore.
As the holding company prepares for launch in 2026, transport industry stakeholders across the region will be looking for answers to how the alliance will reshape product strategies, dealer networks, and customer support for two of the most important Japanese truck brands in our market.
Fleet News Group will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more details about the local impact of this global deal emerge.
Post Script
Fleet News Group contacted Hino Australia for some local commentary on this announcement and Richard Emery, President & CEO said;
“Hino has been proudly selling vehicles to the Australian market for 60 years and currently provides a range of fit-for-purpose trucks centred on quality, technology and safety.
“At the heart of this are our strong partnerships with our loyal customers and dealer partners – the new structure will ensure this continues for many years to come,” said Mr Emery.
“We are excited about this next stage and look forward to continuing as a mainstay of the Australian trucking industry well into the future,” he concluded.
