SEA Electric has won the Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia’s Product Innovation Award for 2021 for its all-electric trucks.

Assembled in Melbourne, the SEA 300 EV and SEA 500 EV are now available from dealers nationwide and the company also has a New Zealand presence.

This move to series production in Australia has resulted in SEA Electric becoming the country’s latest OEM, fully backed by a comprehensive aftersales offering including factory warranties and roadside service through NTI.

Launched earlier this year, the two EV model trucks represent the first comprehensive battery electric powered truck range available globally, with applications available from 4.5 tonne car licence vehicles through to 22.5 tonne three-axle trucks, SEA Electric says.

Its range features leading performance, range possibilities and whisper-quiet operation, with zero local carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, or methane emissions.

For SEA Electric, the HVIA award, which recognises industry members who have designed and utilised new technology or built an innovative product to address the growing road freight task, affirms its commitment to the Australian market.

“This is a proud day for SEA Electric and acknowledges the pioneering efforts by the team to develop world-leading technology that is genuinely making a positive impact on the environment,” SEA Electric Asia-Pacific president Bill Gillespie says.

“The transport industry is the second highest producer of carbon dioxide emissions across the country outside of traditional power generation, and this is clearly a subject that will continue to be under the microscope as the industry investigates future options.

“Here at SEA Electric, we are at the forefront of providing cutting edge products that have been extensively tested in the field and have been warmly embraced by companies looking to take environmental leadership.”

The industry recognition is validation of years of development carried out by the company, SEA Electric Asia-Pacific region vice president Glen Walker says.

“Producing these trucks here in Australia for Australia, and distributing and supporting them via a national dealer network, is resonating positively within the marketplace,” he says.

The SEA Electric range of trucks are assembled in Melbourne from Semi Knocked Down (SKD) kits, with the truck cab mated to chassis rails, suspension, wheels and the patented SEA-Drive power-system.

The drive train is currently available in four specifications, ranging from 134kW/700Nm, through to 350kW/3500Nm, with various battery capacities available between 88kWh and 220kWh.

Future-proofed with an upgradable plug and play architecture, the SEA-Drive power-system can be charged via the world’s most extensive charging network, which is 415V three-phase power through the truck’s standard onboard charging equipment, with optional DC fast charging also available.

Lower maintenance and running costs are possible, with diesel consumption eliminated and fewer moving parts minimising service costs and time, the powertrain producing no noise or fumes while reducing vibrations and its mid-mounted configuration providing additional safety and stability.

The SEA-Drive power-system had previously been offered to the market as a retrofit option for existing internal combustion engine powered vehicles, however, this fresh process of assembling the trucks from new results in less wastage, quicker build times and lower costs, the company says.

While SEA Electric is an Australian success story, the company firmly has its sights set on global leadership, with a presence now across five continents.

The company recently notched up a single order in North America for 1150 units, with further significant announcements due soon.

Read the full article at Auto Talk by Geoff Dobson published on November 24, 2021.

Tony Fairweather has seen the way delivery truck fleets can transform with the vision of sustainability.

The president of electric commercial vehicle manufacturer SEA Electric moved in 2019 from Australia to the US, where government requirements are forcing change.

“The Advanced Clean Truck regulation has been mandated by 15 US states, resulting in forced electrification of trucks over time,” he says.

“States like California, Colorado, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey all have exciting and substantive programs to financially incentivise fleets to procure zero emission vehicles.

“These programs often require the destruction of an old diesel engine in return. Very smart.”

Australia’s logistics industry is on a mission to reduce carbon emissions amid a global push to tackle the challenges of decarbonising the national supply chain.

Amid net-zero targets being adopted globally, and some US and European jurisdictions pushing for greater ambition on carbon, Australia’s transport and logistics industries are innovating to accelerate change. …

Continue reading the full article at The Australian by Rosanne Barrett published on November 23, 2021.

As well as helping companies to meet their customers’ sustainability expectations, SEA Electric’s Bill Gillespie tells us the growth of electric trucks offers fleet operators a way to make “extreme” savings on their fuel bills.

This week on Rewired, we are joined by SEA Electric’s Bill Gillespie to discuss the growing demand for zero emissions heavy vehicles.

The company has been on a rapid rise since launching their first model in 2017. Their trucks are now in operation across some of Australia’s biggest fleets, ferrying deliveries for Woolworths, IKEA, Australia Post and DHL, and also helping local councils to reduce emissions.

Founded in Australia and now based in Los Angeles, SEA Electric is expanding into international markets, with a growing presence in the US, Europe and Asia.

“It’s gone beyond, that would be a nice thing to do for the planet…”

They offer an expanding range of models for a variety of applications, as new markets emerge for mid-sized electric trucks for ‘last mile’ deliveries, buses, garbage collection, refrigerated transport and passenger vans.

Gillespie acknowledges that electric models today cost up to three times as much to purchase as diesel powered equivalents, but says the extra costs can be recouped within five years through a combination of lower fuel and maintenance costs.

He points to IKEA, who are running three SEA Electric trucks in Sydney as part of their efforts to achieve a company-wide zero emissions target by 2030.

“Each of those trucks have done over 100,000kms, they average about 200kms per day and come back to base each night and are charged.

“If you look at DHL, UPS, Amazon, all of those companies have really aggressive plans around zero emissions deliveries.”

The delivery trucks that are in service for IKEA typically cost about $12 per day to operate, offering a lower ‘total cost of ownership’ than combustion alternatives, winning out even when environmental benefits are put aside.

Made in Melbourne

In 2017, SEA Electric received $5 million from the Clean Energy Innovation Fund; a program jointly administered by ARENA and the CEFC.

The funding supported the development of their proprietary Sea-Drive system, which they install in new rolling chassis and can also retrofit existing vehicles.

Gillespie says the fact their trucks are manufactured in Melbourne is a unique selling point.

“Yeah, I think they’re pleasantly surprised that they are made in Australia, that’s a big advantage for us right now.

Read the full blog and listen to the podcast at ArenaWire published on November 18, 2021.

GATR Truck Center has made a significant step toward an all-electric transport future, with a deal to acquire 1,150 zero-emissions SEA M5 electric vehicles (EV) for its clients across Minnesota and Iowa.

The deal will see the first 40 trucks delivered by the end of 2021, with the remainder delivered throughout 2022, with demonstration models made available for fleets to sample the technology for the first time.

The package features the Hino Class 5 chassis, fitted with a SEA Electric SEA-Drive Power System. The truck’s drivetrain features a 1,106-lb-ft electric motor in combination with a 138 kWh battery pack, which provides performance and range potential.

For GATR EV, the announcement will form the cornerstone of an e-commerce system currently in development focusing purely on the sale of electric vehicles.

“The GATR companies are proud to be a leader in this huge momentum shift towards electric vehicles in our industry,” states Matt Gordon, president of GATR Truck Centers/GATR EV. “We pride ourselves on being innovators in our industry, being stewards of the environment, and exploring new opportunities to facilitate our customers in growing their companies and becoming more profitable.”

GATR EV has struck a partnership with Merchants Fleet Management Company, which will give clients access to the national leasing company. For Merchants Fleet, the deal is the first step in a commitment to making 50% of its mobility fleet electric by 2025, and 50% of its managed clients’ fleets EV by 2030.

Read the full article at NGT News by Ariana Fine published on November 12, 2021.

Australian zero-emissions truck manufacturer SEA Electric has turned to rooftop solar power for its Melbourne assembly facility, with the installation of a 100kW solar power system SEA Electric says its system features an array of 250 x 400W solar panels and is currently tracking at 90 per cent carbon positive, having produced 24MWH of energy to date.

“Here at SEA Electric, we are proud to be leading the charge to eliminate CO2 emissions through our range of all-electric trucks; the next logical step has been to run our manufacturing facility purely on solar power,” said Glen Walker, SEA Electric Vice President – Asia Pacific.

“Electricity generation and transport are the two biggest producers of carbon dioxide in Australia, so all-electric transport powered by renewable energy makes a lot of sense moving forward.

“For new SEA Electric owners, making the switch to zero-emissions logistics eliminates diesel consumption and lowers maintenance costs, with fewer moving parts requiring less ongoing servicing.

“The SEA Electric range provides financial advantages for daily use over conventional trucks, even if charged by power supplied from the grid.”

Electric vehicles are only one aspect of the new energy ecosystem, with the vehicles having the ability to provide energy storage opportunities, which in the future will pave the way to further power grid stability and flexibility.

The Founder and CEO of SEA Electric, Tony Fairweather, has first-hand insight regarding the deployment of large-scale electric-powered fleets in the USA.

“Many of these large fleets utilise their vehicles for less than half of a 24 hour day; the balance is spent in depot yards, where rooftop solar panels can generate ample power supply to fully charge their batteries,” Fairweather said.

“Consider a future transport depot to be a nationally networked, renewable power plant, not only charging fleets but also offering excess stored energy back into the power grid, possibly supported by additional on-site battery storage.

“While Moss Landing in California houses the world’s largest and most expensive battery storage facility, SEA Electric plans to deploy more battery capacity in 2024 than that entire facility.

“Essentially it is mobile and readily available storage ‘on wheels’.

“With Australia now agreeing to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 at the recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), look no further than networked depot power plants to contribute substantially to achieving this critical milestone.

“Generations to come are depending on it.”

Further details on the SEA Electric range and its national dealer network can be found here.

Read the full article at Truck Sales published on November 5, 2021.

Destined for a range of heavy duties, from transporting mining supplies to moving temperature-controlled freight the first SEA 300-85 has been manufactured in Melbourne.

SEA Electric, an Australian company specialising in the assembly and 100% electrification of commercial vehicles for a global market, today announced the first of its 8.5 tonne SEA 300-85 trucks to roll off its Melbourne production line.

The truck, with a 138 kWh battery driving a motor with 1,500 Nm torque, has been delivered to Mineral Resources (MRL), a mining services company that provides services to clients throughout Western Australia, and also operates iron ore, lithium and other mines in the Pilbara and Goldfields regions of the state.

MRL will use the SEA 300-85 to transport materials between mine sites, and this particular vehicle will serve as a flagship for the company’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint — that is, it will take pride of place at community events and roadshows.

“We’ve developed a transition plan to a low-carbon future and that includes reducing our reliance on diesel,” Mike Grey, MRL’s Chief Executive of Mining Services, said in a statement.

He added, “Our mission is to grow our mining services and operations responsibly,” and transport offers the company a low-hanging-fruit opportunity for reducing carbon emissions.

Transportation for mines comes clean

The SEA announcement comes just weeks after the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) invested $5 million in New South Wales Hunter Valley-based battery technology producer 3ME Technology which enables miners to swap out diesel engines with innovative modular battery electric systems.

Direct and indirect (from energy used to power operations) emissions from oil, gas, mining and metals processing industries in Australia contribute more than a quarter of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, which has led the CEFC to increase its focus on decarbonising Australia’s resources sector

CEO of the CEFC, Ian Learmonth, said earlier this month that, “The decarbonisation of Australia’s resources sector is critical to our clean energy transition and electrification has an important part to play.”

SEA Electric has been performing driveline swaps on existing internal combustion-engine powered trucks since 2017, and it says the move to become an Original Equipment Manufacturer, constructing vehicles “from new” on its new Melbourne production line will reduce the cost of its trucks, increase efficiencies, reduce waste and accelerate the speed of manufacture.

Electric trucks in all sizes

The SEA300-85 is one in a full range of pure electric truck models — from 4.5-tonne trucks that can be driven with a car licence, to 22.5-tonne three-axle rigid transporters — available through a network of 12 dealerships around Australia.

Founded in Australia, SEA Electric is now headquartered in Los Angeles in the US and supplies customers in the US, New Zealand, Thai, Indonesian and South African markets.

Less than a week ago it announced its largest ever order, for 1,150 SEA Hino M5 EVs, from GATR EV a division of GATR Truck Center which has five dealerships across the US states of Iowa and Minnesota.

GATR has a partnership with Merchants Fleet, a fast-growing US fleet-management company which has committed more than $2 billion towards electrifying 50% of its mobility fleet by 2025, and 50% of its clients’ fleets by 2030.

To meet such demand, GATR Truck Center is developing an e-commerce system that will sell purely electric vehicles and its strategic partnership with SEA Electric, said Jay Klemp, Director of Sales at GATR EV, means “we can build enough of these Hino trucks to provide demonstration vehicles and also solutions to our future fleet partners.”

Look, you guys, no incentives!

Nick Casas, SEA Electric Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said last week, “This is our first four-digit order and it comes in a non-incentive state, which proves that commercial EV solutions can expand in areas with no incentives”.

SEA Electric is in the process of replicating the production techniques it has developed in Australia for other global markets.

“Australian manufacturing and ingenuity is alive and well, said Bill Gillespie, President of SEA Electric in the Asia Pacific region.

”The response from the transport industry since the launch of our local volume production is heartening,” he added, saying the company hoped to pass many more milestones on the road to its stated mission, which is to eliminate more than a billion kilograms of CO2 emissions over the coming five years.

Read the full article at PV Magazine published on October 25, 2021.

Global transport company SEA Electric took a big step forward in the U.S., with confirmation of an order for more than 1,000 SEA Hino M5 EVs, the single largest order in the company’s history.

Set to be delivered to GATR EV (a division of GATR Truck Centers), the zero-emission trucks will feature the patented SEA-Drive Power System. The SEA Electric offering of pure-electric systems is adaptable to most OEM glider chassis platforms, from medium-duty Class 3 to heavy-duty Class 8.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, over the past 18 months, SEA Electric has established a nationwide network of technology partners as well as collaborations with leading OEMs.

The SEA M5 EV model featured at the recent ACT Expo in Long Beach, California, complete with the SEA-Drive 120a Power System, which is specified for truck platforms with a GVWR of 13,000- to 18,000-pounds (Class 3-5). The package features a 1,106 lb.-ft. electric motor in combination with a 138 kWh battery pack.

“This deal is the culmination of years of research, development and growth, and proves that SEA Electric is on track to be number one when it comes to electrifying fleets across the world,” said Mike Menyhart, SEA Electric President – Americas and Chief Strategy Officer. “The market is looking for a proven EV solution, and with SEA Electric, we bring that to the industry technology which has been verified with millions of miles of real-world use. Furthermore, this announcement reaffirms our commitment to continue our rapid expansion within the North American market, and sets the scene for an exciting 2022.”

For SEA Electric, the milestone is the company’s first four-digit order.

“And, it comes in a non-incentive state, which proves that commercial EV solutions can expand in areas with no incentives, while all corners of the market are seeking premium EV solutions,” said Nick Casas, SEA Electric Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “GATR should be congratulated for being at the forefront of EV supply and being capable of servicing the needs of large fleets immediately. GATR has a partnership with Merchants Fleet, which will benefit the end-user, who will not only be able to access an electric solution straight away, but will be able to transact with one of the most respected leasing companies in the USA.”

Merchants Fleet has committed more than $2B toward having 50% of its mobility fleet electric by 2025 and 50% of its clients’ fleet electric by 2030. The company has also launched an Adopt EV program, designed to help  guide businesses through each step of the fleet electrification process — from assessing needs, to purchasing the right vehicles, to charging options and infrastructure support.

GATR Truck Center, which features five dealerships throughout Iowa and Minnesota, currently has an e-commerce system in development to sell purely electric vehicles. The first 40 vehicles are expected to be delivered by the end of December 2021, with the remaining vehicles to be delivered throughout 2022.

Read the full article at Green Fleet Magazine published on October 20, 2021.

AP Equipment Financing is pursuing an initiative to provide competitive finance programs for package and delivery customers looking to acquire electric vehicles. To begin this initiative, AP will be providing finance solutions for SEA Electric‘s suite of electric vehicles tailored and designed solely for Package Delivery contractors, such as FedEx Ground.

“Financing commercial grade electric vehicles, with manufacturers such as SEA Electric, is not only a great option for providing state of the art, high-quality vehicles for our Package Delivery clientele, but this is also a socially responsible initiative that our company stands firmly behind” stated Nick Fong, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Technology Officer of AP. “Our customers have come to rely on AP’s ability to provide value-added services beyond the standard finance program. We take pride in our ability to provide the highest levels of customer service. This often entails preparing for large industry changing disruptions such as the electric vehicle transition. Staying ahead of the curve and offering finance packages customized to the unique requirements of EV’s demonstrates our dedication to our customers’ ever-changing needs, as well as our dedication to reducing carbon footprints nationwide.”

“We are at a point now where we are running major trials with some of the world’s largest fleet operators — the UPS, Staples and FedEx,” says Mike Menyhard, CSO of SEA Electric. “At the end of the day, those are the type of organizations that could very well put in three-, four- and five-digit orders, and we need to be able to show them how we would be able to support them,” According to SEA Electric, they are on schedule to deliver more than 1,000 electric commercial vehicles this year and to have more than 15,000 vehicles on the road by the end of 2023.

AP Equipment Financing and their parent company, Tokyo Century USA, recognize that addressing environmental issues is a social responsibility and will seek to contribute to the creation of an environmentally-sound, sustainable economy and society by acting with due consideration for environmental issues.

Read the full article at AP Equipment Financing by Cori Miller published on September 28, 2021.

SEA Electric says its display at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in California from August 30 to September 2 has been a major success for the company.

Four vehicles were displayed; a bare Ford Step Van Class 6 (SV6) chassis and a SEA Hino M5 EV chassis, with a ride and drive experience featuring a SEA Hino M5 EV (Staples box truck) and a SEA SV6 EV (FedEx Ground step van) with about 40 of the expo’s 5000 visitors experiencing these.

Australian-founded and now Los Angeles-based SEA Electric says all four vehicles have the SEA-Drive 120a electric power system it has been developing since 2012.

The expo showcased the latest products available in the alternative fuels sector, with SEA Electric providing a solution for most truck and van OEM glider chassis, from Class 3 to Class 8.

The event was also the first public display since tier one transport drivetrain supplier Meritor announced its strategic investment and shareholding in SEA Electric, with a Meritor 14Xe ePowertrain featured on the stand.

The system is suited to Class 8 refuse and linehaul trucks, Class 6-7 pickup and delivery, plus school bus applications.

“Overall, the ACT Expo was an outstanding success for SEA Electric, with hundreds of current and potential partners catching up with our team of sales and engineering staff,” SEA Electric founder and president Tony Fairweather says.

“Through networking with other companies at the expo, we are aware of a genuine interest in our products, which is particularly heartening, especially as we power towards an IPO.

“The feedback we received was incredibly positive; driving an EV is a phenomenal experience compared to anything else on the road.”

The trucks have a 138kWh battery pack, delivering up to 320km range, with a typical break-even period of fewer than four years without considering any applicable grants or subsidies.

The US ACT Expo is from May 9 to 12 next year.

Read the full article at Auto Talk by Geoff Dobson published on September 16, 2021.

The Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Long Beach, California, brought together major players in trucking and transport decarbonisation. From large heavy-duty Class 8 tractor-trailer trucks down to the three-wheeled mini cargo carriers, the event showcased the latest battery-electric, fuel cell and clean technologies.

Fuel Cells Coming to Trucks Soon

Long Beach is home to the Port of Los Angeles, where ten Toyota fuel-cell-powered Kenworth trucks are deployed. The technology tested at the port will be available to truckmakers soon. A few days before the expo, Toyota announced that it would be offering its fuel cell technology to trucking manufacturers.

Toyota fuel-cell tech will be available in 2023. It includes dual fuel cell modules, battery, electric motors, transmission and hydrogen storage that delivers over 300 miles of range at a full-load weight of 80,000 lbs.

“We have proven the technology. We feel fuel cell technology is ready for volume production,” says Chris Rovik, Executive Program Manager, Toyota Motor North America, “It’s exciting to see the critical mass of fuel cell technology.”

Golden Opportunities for Cleaning Up Trucking

The state of California continually supports efforts for zero-emissions vehicles. At the Expo, The South Coast Air Quality Management District, California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission. partnering with NFI Industries and Schneider, announced that they will fund 100 battery‐electric trucks in California. It is named the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative, or JETSI.

The project will connect the port of Los Angeles to inland distribution centres using Daimler Trucks and Volvo Trucks and also fund infrastructure charging. The project is expected to replace more than 690,000 gallons of diesel annually.

These kinds of programs have been proven to be successful such as the early funding of TransPower.

Investment in TransPower by the California Energy Commission, U.S. The Department of Energy, South Coast Air Quality Management District, as well as the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, early on, are now helping to bring electric powertrains to the industry. Escondido-based TransPower debuted a Class 8 truck driving a ground-breaking distance of 88 miles back in 2014.

TransPower, which started developing electric drive systems in 2010, was purchased by Meritor in 2020. TransPower technology is now part of Meritor Blue Horizon products.

“It is a good match with Meritor and TransPower. Together we are able to build a really advanced vehicle,” says Frank Falcone, Vice President of Powertrain Technologies at TransPower USA, “Both of our skill sets are symbiotic. We refined our existing skills– ending up with a vehicle that is more efficient and with better performance and powertrain. Our hardware is fuel agnostic. It doesn’t mind where the electricity comes from, it will work with battery-electric, fuel cell and other technologies.”

Meritor recently invested in SEA Electric and its electrification platforms.

“There is a tremendous interest in our all-electric SEA-Drive Power System technology, as well as our applications, including the Class 6 Step Van platform,” says Tony Fairweather, president and founder, SEA Electric.

Continue reading the full article – including sections entitled “Many Sizes of Clean Vehicles”, “Orange And Green”, “New Charging Leads The Charge”, and “FreeWire Technologies Offers Charging Services And Upgrades” – at Auto Futures by Lynn Walford published on September 5, 2021.

A 4.5-tonne GVM SEA 300-45 capable of being driven on a car licence has been launched as the entry-level truck for SEA Electric.

The first example of the pure electric-powered SEA 300-45 has rolled off SEA Electric’s Melbourne production line, with its car-licence rating opening up opportunities for zero emission last-mile deliveries.

Designed, engineered and assembled in Australia, the 4.5-tonne GVM SEA 300-45 was unveiled at the recent Brisbane Truck Show.

The model’s design sees batteries and its Power-System optimally positioned away from the steer axle, allowing for improved weight distribution and driving dynamics.

The patented SEA-Drive 70-7 Power-System as fitted to the truck features maximum power and torque ratings of 127kW and 700Nm, with its performance characteristics making it ideal for stop-start city traffic.

SEA says that with an 88kWh battery, the SEA 300-45 has an unladen range of up to 250km with a fast charging time of under two hours.

The truck’s tare weight comes in at 2.5-tonnes, which results in an allowance of two-tonnes for its body and freight with a maximum body length of 4820mm, while all ancillary functions can be converted to pure-electric power, including refrigeration units.

“In recent times, the transport industry has seen massive development in the last mile delivery sector, fuelled by the growth of demand for online shopping,” said Bill Gillespie, SEA Electric President – Asia Pacific.

“We’re particularly proud of the SEA 300-45; it ticks many boxes for fleets who want to show leadership in environmental sustainability moving forward.

“Obviously, being capable of driven on a car licence makes it is easier to attract and retain staff, and those drivers are able to utilise a noise, fume and vibration-free work environment.

“With the silent operation of the truck, converting to EVs creates opportunities to beat noise curfews moving forward, with residences and businesses along delivery routes also big winners.

“The range of the SEA 300-45 is also a strong suite, and when coupled with its fast charging capability, the trucks can slot in seamlessly to existing fleets.

Mr Gillespie went on to say that the first SEA 300-45 is yet another milestone for SEA Electric since the local volume production of trucks commenced, with the brand recently becoming Australia’s latest OEM after gaining Australian Design Rules approval.

The SEA Electric range is available from the SEA national dealer network, complete with a comprehensive sales, service and parts offering, backed up by NTI’s market leading 24/7 roadside assistance package for the warranty period of the trucks.

Further details on SEA Electric and its dealer network can be found here.

Read the full article at Truck Sales published on September 2, 2021.