History of HINO

The Journey of Hino Motors

Since its founding, Hino Motors has supported the movement of people and things, technologies, products, and services, and Hino Motors itself has also evolved.
Its driving force to support society and people through logistics and transportation remains unchanged, despite the changing times.
Guided by this unchanging principle, we continue to support your business and contribute to society.

1910-1941Taking on challenges from point zero

1910

Tokyo Gas Industry Co., Ltd. (predecessor to modern-day Hino Motors)

Tokyo Gas Industry Co., Ltd. Full view

1913

Company name changed to Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

1917

Successful prototype of Japanese – made trucks

Type TGE-A truck

1919

Development of various TGE-type trucks

1930

Moving into manufacturing of buses
Adopted for Japan's first public route (Ministry of Railways) buses

Type TGE-MP bus

1937

The Automobile Division of Tokyo Gas Electric Engineering Co., Ltd., Automobile Industry Co., Ltd. and Kyodo Kokusan K.K. were merged into Tokyo Automobile Industry Co., Ltd.

1941

Company name was changed to Diesel Motor Industry Co., Ltd.

1942-1960Moving into the era of mass transportation

1942

The Hino plant of Diesel Motor Industry Co., Ltd was made independent as Hino Heavy Industries Inc.

Hino Heavy Industries Inc. Full view

1946

Completed development of Japan’s first post-war heavy-duty trailer truck

T10 · 20 type trailer truck

1946

Company name changed to Hino Industry Co., Ltd.

1947

The release of Japan's first trailer bus was a breath of fresh air for urban transport

T11B · 25 type trailer bus

1948

First Japanese automotive manufacturer to separate manufacturing and sales From Hino Industry Co., Ltd. to Hino Diesel Sales Co., Ltd. and Hino Diesel Industry Co., Ltd.

1949

Hino listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange

1950

Started production of heavy-duty diesel trucks and buses (single-wheel type), release of Japan's first trolley bus

Type TR trolley bus

1953

Japan’s first center under-floor engine bus
Release of "Blue Ribbon" box-type bus

Type BD10 Blue Ribbon bus

1953

Technical collaboration with Renault Started production of passenger vehicles

Renault 4CV

1958

Japan's first front-wheel two-axis cab-over 10-ton cargo truck released

10-ton TC10 truck

1959

Hino Diesel Sales Co., Ltd. and Hino-Renault Sales Co., Ltd. merged to form Hino Motor Sales, Ltd. Hino Diesel Industry Co., Ltd. was renamed Hino Motors, Ltd.

1961-1991Hino brand dominates the Japanese domestic market

1961

Release of the Briska light-duty commercial vehicle and Hino’s first in-house passenger vehicle,Contessa

Hino Contessa 900

1962

First overseas sale company established in Thailand (now Hino Motors Sales (Thailand) Ltd.)

1963

RANGER medium-duty truck released

KM300 Series RANGER

1963

Operations commenced at Hamura plant (Tokyo)

Hamura plant viewed from above

1964

Establishment of overseas service system
Field mechanic system started
Hino’s first overseas production company established in Thailand

1966

Business alliance with Toyota Motor Corporation

1971

Launch of the Red Engine, with superior fuel consumption, reliability, and durability

ED100 engine

1971

Service staff from distributors supporting Hino compete in the service skills competition

1st nationwide dealer service skills competition

1974

Hino Motors (Europe) established

1977

Changed the market for touring coaches Japan's first body-framed touring coach released

RS120P skeleton type touring coach

1980

Full model change for medium-duty trucks with release of KAZE-NO-RANGER SERIES

1980

Operations commenced at Nitta plant (Gunma Prefecture)

Early image of Nitta plant

1981

Full model change for heavy-duty trucks with release of SUPER DOLPHIN PROFIA SERIES

1982

PT. Hino Motors Manufacturing Indonesia established

1985

Hino Diesel Trucks (U.S.A.), Inc. established in USA Operations commenced at Gozenyama Proving Grounds (Ibaraki Prefecture)

1986

Hidaka Delivery Center established

1988

Japanese sales of the RANGER Series reached 500,000 units

1990

Release of the S'ELEGA touring coach

S'ELEGA

1990

Hino’s first entry into the Dakar Rally

First time entry into the Dakar Rally in 1990

1991

Release of world-first* hybrid vehicle

* The world's first commercially available hybrid vehicle was released as a urban transit bus.

HIMR bus

1992-2003Moving toward a 21st-century company

1994

New symbol mark adopted to take Hino into the future

Wing mark that was popular for many years

1995

Full model change for small buses with release of LIESSE SERIES

LIESSE

1996

Hino Motors 21st Century Center established
(Hino Auto Plaza opened at the Center the following year)

21st Century Center

1997

Hino monopolizes the Dakar Rally, winning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in the truck category

1997 Dakar Rally

1999

Release of hybrid vehicle

First-generation DUTRO

1999

Hino Motors Co., Ltd. and Hino Motor Sales Co., Ltd. merged into Hino Motors Co., Ltd.

2001

Became a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation through private placement

2003

New light-duty hybrid truck launched, in compliance with Japanese new long-term regulations on exhaust emissions

DUTRO HYBRID

2004-Creating a foundation as a global company

2004

HINO 600 Series released for North America

HINO 600 Series

2005

HINO BLUE RIBBON CITY Hybrid non-step large-sized route-bus announced New HINO RANGER medium-duty hybrid truck announced, in compliance with Japanese new long-term regulations on exhaust emissions Full model change for touring coaches with Japanese new HINO S'ELEGA announced, in compliance with Japanese new long-term regulations on exhaust emissions

HINO BLUE RIBBON CITY Hybrid
HINO S'ELEGA

2005

Customer Technical Center established

On the Test Course at the Customer Technical Center at the Hamura plant

2006

World-first* Pre-Collision System (PCS)** installed in HINO PROFIA HINO PROFIA heavy-duty truck announced, in compliance with Japanese new long-term regulations on exhaust emissions

* World's first commercialization as commercial vehicles(As of 2016. In-house research.)
**PCS =Pre-Collision System."PCS" is used for function explanation only.

HINO PROFIA

2007

Operations commenced at West Virginia plant in USA (Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A. Inc.) Overseas sales overtake domestic (Japanese) sales

Units sold domestically and overseas, by year

2008

Full model change to the HINO S’ELEGA large touring coach

2008

Operations commenced at Colombia plant (Hino Motors Manufacturing Colombia, S.A.) Established sales company, first entry into Russian market (Hino Russia)

2009

Production of light-duty trucks (HINO DUTRO and TOYOTA Dyna) commenced in Indonesia (P.T. Hino Motors Manufacturing Indonesia) Truck production commenced in Mexico (Hino Motors Manufacturing Mexico, S.A. DE C.V.) Joint venture company GAC Hino Motors Co., Ltd. began production of trucks in China Cumulative production of Hino trucks and buses reached three million units

2010

Toyota and Hino provided vehicles for fuel cell hybrid buses operating on public route between central Tokyo and Haneda Airport Hong Kong's first light-duty hybrid truck released

2011

Full model change for HINO DUTRO light-duty truck

HINO DUTRO

2012

HINO PONCHO electric bus entered pilot service

HINO PONCHO EV

2012

Operations began at Koga plant (Ibaraki Prefecture)

First vehicle shipped from Koga Plant (2017)

2013

Started services for light-duty EV trucks

2013

Cumulative sales of hybrid trucks and buses reached 10,000 units

2014

Driving seminars at Customer Technical Center exceeded 50,000 visitors

2016

25th anniversary of launch of HIMR Bus hybrid vehicle

2017

Full model change for HINO PROFIA heavy-duty truck and HINO RANGER medium-duty truck

HINO PROFIA heavy-duty truck
HINO RANGER medium-duty truck

2018

Demonstration test of traveling of trucks in a caravan with drivers in the second and following trucks Established NEXT Logistics Japan CO., LTD. Aiming to propose a New form of Logistics Volkswagen Truck & Bus and Hino Motors agree to enter into a strategic partnership Name changed to TRATON

2018

World's first commercial vehicle emergency stop system (EDSS) developed and installed in "HINO S'ELEGA." Began offering HINO CONNECT, a service for customers using ICT

HINO S’ELEGA large sightseeing coaches

2019

The Okochi Memorial Grand Production Prize was awarded for Koga Plant MONET Forms Capital and Business Partnership with Hino Motors and Honda Hino wins first prize in J.D. Power “Customer Satisfaction Survey”

2019

Japan's first HINO BLUE RIBBON Hybrid articulated bus announced HINO PROFIA Hybrid heavy-duty truck announced

HINO BLUE RIBBON Hybrid articulated bus
HINO PROFIA Hybrid heavy-duty truck

2020

Hino Indonesia Marks 500,000 Unit Production Achievement Customer Technical Center exceeded 100,000 visitors Hino achieved top position for heavy and medium-duty truck sales in Japan for the 48th consecutive year (2020)

2020

Hino and Obayashi Corp. carry out automated large dump truck driving verification test at dam site

2021

Release of 1.5 ton truck as HINO DUTRO light-duty truck series Started demonstration experiment of light-duty BEV truck

HINO DUTRO light-duty truck
HINO DUTRO Z EV light-duty truck

2022

Body application factory commenced at Koga plant

2022

Started demonstration experiment of optimal operation management of e-mobility by driving light-duty BEV truck

2022

Launched HINO DUTRO Z EV light-duty BEV truck

2023

Started providing operation management service for private paid passenger transportation.

HINO TOPICS

Hino Motors announces "Strategy of Hino towards Carbon Neutrality"

Others 2023.10.27

Hino Motors announces "Strategy of Hino towards Carbon Neutrality"

Hino Motors, Ltd. has announced its initiatives for carbon neutrality today.

View More

Changing Corporate Culture through Dialogue

Others 2022.11.2

Changing Corporate Culture through Dialogue

In order for the entire company to address the issues that have occurred, Hino believes that it is necessary to foster a company-wide corporate culture where people can have respectful dialogue as equals.

View More

Hino's New Corporate Philosophy: The "HINO Way"

Others 2022.11.2

Hino’s New Corporate Philosophy: The “HINO Way”

The new corporate philosophy, the “HINO Way,” disseminated within the company in June 2022, goes back to Hino’s original goal of contributing value to customers and society.

View More

Reform of Processes of Development, Regulatory Certification  and Quality Assurance

Others 2022.9.22

Reform of Processes of Development, Regulatory Certification and Quality Assurance

Hino aims to restore trust in the quality of Hino’s products by making and implementing development plans that are appropriate and practical based on its development capabilities and schedule, as well as ensuring the sound retention of data demonstrating compliance.

View More

Search within this website