Ampol Partners with SEA Electric to Charge Australia’s Future Commercial Fleets
In an industry first, Ampol has partnered with Australian commercial electric vehicle manufacturer SEA Electric to support the transition of companies to zero-emissions commercial electric vehicle technology.
Through the partnership, SEA Electric and Ampol will be working together to develop flexible, sustainable and seamless charging options to support the uptake of lower emissions commercial vehicles in key parts of the transport sector.
The partnership will also focus on building an integrated charging solution for SEA Electric customers on the road at Ampol forecourts, at destinations and solutions at the workplace.
James Myatt, Ampol’s General Manager, Energy, said Ampol will work with SEA Electric and leverage its knowledge and strong relationships across industries to help support commercial vehicle owners’ decarbonisation goals.
“Ampol is evolving to provide a range of fast and reliable charging solutions. We know our business customers are looking for lower emissions solutions and want to ensure their investment in commercial electric vehicles can be supported with efficient and reliable charging technologies,” Myatt said.
“Ampol is committed to developing an open access national charging network as well as home and business charging solutions to ensure vehicles can be on the road whenever needed.”
For SEA Electric, the partnership provides flexible charging options for electric truck owners, with many Ampol customers moving into the EV space in cars and now with light trucks. The partnership will help reduce range anxiety for businesses looking to invest in electric trucks to reduce their emissions.
“SEA Electric is proud to partner with Ampol on this project, as both companies lead the country in the transition to sustainable transport,” Bill Gillespie, SEA Electric President, Asia Pacific Region said.
“Through this collaboration, we are shining a light on the fact that electric powered truck fleets can be operationally flexible by accessing convenient charging infrastructure through the AmpCharge network.
“At SEA Electric, we are building an entire customer led ecosystem to simplify the transition to electrification, with a SEA Electric trained national dealer network for sales and service, full factory warranty, 24/7 support and roadside assistance, and a range of charging options at base or on the road.
“Ampol should be applauded for taking the lead with its future energy and mobility strategy, and we look forward to working together into the future on expanding the initiative.”
For further information on Ampol AmpCharge, visit ampcharge.ampol.com.au, with more on SEA Electric’s product range and dealer network available at www.sea-electric.com.au/en_au/.
- Published in Articles, Media Release, Networking, News, SEA-Drive, Technology
SEA Electric Partners with MEVCO to Electrify 8,500 Hilux and Landcruiser Models for Mining Industry
SEA Electric has made the next step in its journey to electrify the world’s commercial vehicle fleet, by signing a significant Memorandum of Understanding with MEVCO, a leading systems integrator focused exclusively on electric light commercial vehicles within the mining industry.
SEA Electric has made the next step in its journey to electrify the world’s commercial vehicle fleet, by signing a significant Memorandum of Understanding with MEVCO, a leading systems integrator focused exclusively on electric light commercial vehicles within the mining industry.
The partnership will see specialist all-electric Hilux and Landcruiser models made available for the mining industry, with MEVCO making a commitment to order 8,500 units over the next five years.
The deal has a total value of close to AU$1 billion.
At the time of the launch, over half of the 2023 allocation of the Australian-developed battery-electric vehicles have been pre-sold, with demonstration models available in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
At the heart of the arrangement is SEA Electric’s proprietary SEA-Drive® power-system, which provides leading all-electric range, driving performance, and environmental credentials, with zero local emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide.
Thanks to its medium‐voltage architecture and no requirement for active thermal management, SEA Electric’s solution is light, cost‐effective, and efficient, with the system tested in the field across eight countries with over 2.5 million kilometres of real-world use registered to date.
Available in various mining-specific designs for 4×4 and 4×2 configurations, the vehicles can be specified with two SEA-Drive® options, namely an 88kWh battery which provides 380km of range, or a 60kWh battery delivering up to 260km of use.
Fast DC to DC charging is available for the system, which provides up to 80 per cent battery power in less than one hour, with a five-year factory warranty on the batteries supplied.
For users, the switch to EV provides a comfortable work environment, with health and safety considerations including no noise, fumes, heat, or vibrations.
MEVCO is a portfolio company of RCF Jolimont – the innovation fund of Resource Capital Funds, one of the largest private equity managers in the world focused on mining.
“This is a pivotal partnership for the mining industry,” said Matt Cahir, MEVCO CEO.
“It enables the world’s leading EV technology for heavy and light commercial trucks to be commercialized on a scale that makes sense for the bespoke needs of the mining sector.
“SEA Electric’s unique architecture is perfectly suited for the task, with the system’s high-torque characteristics ideally fit for purpose.”
For SEA Electric, the announcement is the logical next step in the company’s expansion in the commercial vehicle space, opening up possibilities for the technology on a global scale for a wide variety of applications.
“Across all industries, companies now understand they have a role to play in ensuring they are a part of the solution to the environmental problems we face,” said Tony Fairweather, SEA Electric Founder & CEO.
“With the SEA-Drive® power-system, we have developed technology that is perfectly adaptable to a wide range of commercial vehicle tasks that have typically been the domain of diesel-powered engines.
“Through MEVCO, the mining industry will now be able to access cutting-edge technology, which delivers top performance and total cost of ownership prospects, all with sustainability at the forefront.
“This deal is a significant step forward in Australia and shows just what is possible when it comes to electrifying the world’s fleets.”
For further details on MEVCO, visit www.mevco.com, with information on SEA Electric, visit www.sea-electric.com/en_au.
For technical option specs of the Hilux variant, please see: https://www.mevco.com/_files/ugd/a48edd_f04ab24aa91546679bcf70320d8bbcb2.pdf
About SEA Electric
SEA Electric is an Australian company with a global reach specialising in the assembly and 100% electrification of commercial vehicles worldwide. Dealing directly with vehicle users and working alongside automotive OEM’s, SEA Electric supplies and licences patented technology.
SEA Electric was founded in 2012. After four years of product development and testing, SEA Electric launched its commercial operations in early 2017, triggered by the reduction in battery kWh pricing, allowing for commercial feasibility in offering electric drivetrains to the global market.
About MEVCO
MEVCO is a systems integrator specialising in Battery Electric Light Commercial Vehicles and all associated infrastructure. Their end-to-end service reduces the risk and accelerates the transition to electric mining fleets.
- Published in Articles, E-Range, Media Release, News, SEA-Drive, Technology
Advancing the movement to cleaner air
Around the world, governments at various levels are currently in the process of developing plans to ease the transition to sustainable technology for transport fleets.
Perhaps the leading program has been instigated by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), whose Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Regulation leads the way in delivering the opening wave of zero-emission trucks to that state’s roads.
Tackling climate change is a difficult task, and especially in an area with such an expansive economy as California, there is an added emphasis on putting mandates in place to shape the thinking of business leaders.
California has aimed high, with challenging targets being put in place to lower pollutants from the transport task, which further to the obvious environmental results, also improves public health outcomes.
Stated targets currently include:
• Federal health-based ambient air quality standards (key dates in 2023 and 2031),
• 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases (GHG) by 2030,
• 80 per cent reduction in GHGs by 2050, and
• 50 per cent reduction in petroleum use by 2030
To achieve these outcomes, everyone from all walks of life must contribute to the solution.
Internal combustion-powered vehicles have been calculated to be behind around 80 per cent of smog-forming Nitrous Oxide emissions, 50 per cent of GHG emissions (including fuel production), and over 95 per cent of poisonous diesel particulate emissions.
By two significant measures, the ACT Regulation aims to see trucks converted to zero-emissions solutions, namely via:
• Zero-emission truck sales: Manufacturers who certify Class 2b-8 chassis or complete vehicles with combustion engines would be required to sell zero-emission trucks as an increasing percentage of their annual California sales from 2024 to 2035. By 2035, zero-emission truck/chassis sales would need to be 55 per cent of Class 2b–3 truck sales, 75 per cent of class 4–8 straight truck sales, and 40 per cent of truck tractor sales.
• Company and fleet reporting: Large employers including retailers, manufacturers, brokers and others are required to report information about shipments and shuttle services. Fleet owners, with 50 or more trucks, are required to report about their existing fleet operations. This information will help identify future strategies to ensure that fleets purchase available zero-emission trucks and place them in service where suitable to meet their needs.
To facilitate this switch, state and federal agencies, including CARB, plus different local air districts have put in place various funding programs for fleets to utilize, including the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, which provides point-of-sale rebates to offset the upfront cost of advanced technologies.
The Switch is On
Other jurisdictions have caught on, with more than a dozen U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the Province of Quebec in Canada, now all sitting alongside California in a united front requiring manufacturers to offer zero-emissions solutions.
Significant modelling has taken place to show the possibilities for other states to convert to EV, and the figures are significant.
For instance, compared to a case where “business as usual” were to carry on in the state of Illinois, between 2020 and 2050, by adopting the ACT Regulation, 146,430 US tons of Nitrous Oxide emissions will be reduced, alongside 140 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.
If more ambitious targets were in place, including a 100 per cent heavy-duty ZEV sales target for 2040, those relative figures would grow to 252,240 US tons of Nitrous Oxide emissions saved, plus 187 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.
The story is similar elsewhere, with the necessary technology to make the switch already readily available.
SEA Electric’s Solutions
As leaders in the field of zero-emissions power-systems for the transport sector, SEA Electric has proven technology that is prime for scale uptake, and accelerate the push towards sustainability in the marketplace.
With a decade of experience in the Class 3 to 8 field, no matter the truck or bus size, platform or application, the SEA-Drive® power-system can be adapted to practically any fleet.
The architecture is the world’s most cost-effective 100 per cent electric power-system available in the commercial vehicle market, with zero local emissions, all while being incredibly quiet as it provides a powerful yet smooth ride.
Complete with an upgradable plug-and-play design, SEA Electric’s solutions are ready to meet your future needs, today.
- Published in Driving The Change
