Australian EV truck manufacturer SEA Electric supports the recent policy release by the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) and the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) regarding the trucking industry’s future.

SEA Electric Asia Pacific Region president Bill Gillespie says it has been working closely with the EVC and the ATA to develop the key pathways for zero-emission transport in Australia.

“We commend the work of the EVC and the ATA in promoting the move to electric trucks and drafting these policies,” he says.

“Australian industry will need encouragement and leadership to create a viable pathway towards zero-emission truck acquisition, with further work required by all levels of government in showing leadership.

“We call on close cooperation with the transport industry to support the faster adoption of policies to support the electrification of trucks on our roads.”

Gillespie says the road freight sector accounts for 38% of the country’s total transport emissions.

“It is SEA Electric’s view is that if Australia is planning to meet its 2050 net carbon emissions targets, then more broad-ranging government support will be required to ensure that companies can scale accordingly in an affordable manner.”

Founded in Melbourne in 2012, SEA Electric last year began series production of all-electric trucks locally, in the process becoming the first manufacturer worldwide to release a comprehensive range of EV solutions for a massive array of final applications.

“From our origins, we have grown to have a presence on five continents with the ability to upfit 60,000 units a year globally, and as such, we have a stated mission to eliminate over a billion kilograms of CO2 emissions over the next five years worldwide,” Gillespie explains.

Early successes for SEA Electric include working with manufacturers such as Hino, while in December the company announced an agreement to supply Midwest Transit Equipment with 10,000 systems for use in North American school buses.

Read the full article at Auto Talk published on January 20, 2022.

Peak EV and trucking organisations say urgent reforms are needed to deliver a new era of electric trucks in Australia.

Australia’s leading manufacturer of electric trucks, SEA Electric, has thrown its support behind a recent policy release from the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) and the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) regarding the electrification of heavy transport in Australia.

SEA Electric President, Asia Pacific Region, Bill Gillespie said that SEA Electric has been working closely with the Electric Vehicle Council and the ATA to develop the key pathways for zero-emission transport in Australia.

“We commend the work of the Electric Vehicle Council and the Australian Trucking Association in promoting the move to electric trucks and drafting these policies,” said Mr Gillespie.

“Australian industry will need encouragement and leadership to create a viable pathway towards zero-emission truck acquisition, with further work required by all levels of government in showing leadership.

“Given that the road freight sector accounts for 38 per cent of the country’s total transport emissions, it is SEA Electric’s view is that if Australia is planning to meet its 2050 net carbon emissions targets, then more broad-ranging government support will be required to ensure that companies can scale accordingly in an affordable manner.”

The comments come in the wake of the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) and the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) releasing a statement calling for urgent policy reforms to deliver new era of electric trucks in Australia.

In what is claimed as an Australian first, the EVC and ATA collaborated to develop policies they believe necessary to drive the electrification of trucks in Australia.

In a joint statement the organisations said electrification would assist trucking businesses and supply chains by ending volatile diesel costs, reducing maintenance costs, improving urban efficiency, and delivering better conditions for truck drivers.

The statement said Australia currently lags most of the world in the electrification of trucks making the need for reform urgent. Of the 58 electric truck models available in North America, Europe, and China only 14 are available to the Australian market.

Among the key recommendations put forward by the EVC/ATA are proposals to exempt electric trucks from urban curfews, change Australian weight and width limits to accommodate batteries, and exempting electric trucks form stamp duty.

“Every government in Australia has committed to net-zero, but this can’t be achieved without decarbonising the transport sector,” said EVC CEO Behyad Jafari.

“Curfew-free operations are a huge opportunity, creating benefits for operators optimising fleet operations and to the community through reducing peak hour traffic and congestion.”

Mr Jafari called on the federal government to swiftly implement the recommendations, saying doing so would provide massive benefits to Australian trucking, the economy, and environment.

“The AdBlue shortage crisis was a potent warning about our extreme fuel insecurity. Why should Australia be dependent on China and the Middle East to keep itself moving when we could be using homegrown power? Being able to power our supply chains with local electricity is a surely a national sovereignty imperative,” Mr Jafari said.

Australian Trucking Association Chair, David Smith said electric power will be a game changer for the industry.

“It costs about $117 to fuel a diesel truck for 300km, but just $18 for an electric truck,” Mr Smith said.

“If Australia gets left behind on the transition to electric and zero emission trucks, we risk our supply chains and exporters getting stuck with high, globally uncompetitive per km freight costs.”

“Trucking operators face a number of barriers to buy and use an electric truck and these must be addressed to lower freight costs, improve fuel security and reduce emissions.”

Key recommendations from the new EVC/ATA policy agreement include:
– Truck width should be increased to align with standards used by major supplier economies (current width standards preclude many electric truck models from being used in Australia)
– One tonne concession for electric and zero emission trucks (Australia’s steer axle mass limit, currently 6.5 tonnes, is holding back the deployment of larger electric truck models due to the weight of batteries)
– Electric trucks to be exempt from urban curfews (electric trucks are much quieter and therefore do not require curfews)
– Mandate Euro VI emissions standards for new heavy vehicle models from 2024 (this would bring standards into force 3.5 years earlier than proposed in the government’s draft Regulation Impact Statement)
– Incentive payment to reduce the cost of installing charging infrastructure at depots
– Investment in public charging infrastructure to support on route electric truck charging
– Incentive payment to reduce the upfront purchase price difference between electric/zero emission trucks and internal combustion engine trucks (In California and Germany incentives are provided to reduce or eliminate the price difference for battery, fuel cell and trolley hybrid drive systems. The upfront purchase price of an electric truck can be double its diesel equivalent)
– Exempt electric and zero emission trucks from stamp duty
– Set sales target for zero-emission trucks of 30 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2040 (this goal is to drive ambition and measure the success or failure of existing incentives)

Read the full article at RACQ published on January 20, 2022.

Electric trucks are well and truly here. And the gears of change are grinding loudest far below us, in the mines of Australia.

As the pressure mounts for low- or zero-carbon alternatives, exploration companies have begun moving away from their traditional diesel-powered truck fleets in the hope of attracting investors and increasing takeover potential.

Plus, in the long-term at least, truck EVs offer considerable cost savings, since by 2030, the lifetime cost of battery and fuel cell EVs will be 20 per cent and 10 per cent less, respectively, than diesel trucks.

Already, a lot of earth has been moved with electric help. In March 2021, iron ore magnate Andrew Forest of Fortescue Metals partnered with Williams Advanced Engineering to design a prototype for a 240-tonne electric truck prototype.

While in November 2021, US gold explorer Newmont partnered with Caterpillar to test-run its first underground EV Trucks, with which Newmont intends to equip Australia’s Tanami gold mine by 2026.

Then there’s the ‘Charge On Innovation Challenge’, founded by BHP, Rio Tinto and Vale SA: a push to innovate new mine electrification technologies, with a focus on electric trucks.

BHP has already invested in electric Landcruisers for its South Australian Olympic Dam site, a pilot program that’s been continued into its giant Western Australian operations.

The knock-on effects of all this ‘underground’ activity have been working their way above ground. Just five years after the Australian vehicle industry ground to a halt, in October 2021 the first Australian-made electric truck rolled off SEA Electric’s production line in Melbourne.

SEA’s first buyer is WA mining company Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN), which is using the 8.5 tonne SEA 300-85 to great effect, for transporting materials between mine sites. The truck boasts a 138kWh battery powering a 1,500Nm motor with a potential range of 300km.

But the SEA300-85 isn’t just geared for transporting mining supplies, it’s also well-equipped for temperature-controlled freight.

It’s also just one in a full range of pure EVs, from 4.5-tonne trucks to 22.5-tonne three-axle rigid transporters, distributed through a network of 12 dealerships around Australia.

Since moving its headquarters to Los Angeles, SEA Electric has been delivering truck EVs both under- and overground in the US, New Zealand, South Africa and Indonesia; even Thailand, where progressive companies like Pan Asia Metals (ASX:PAM) are busy exploring battery and critical metals for a green energy future.

Suffice to say, the underground rumble of electric trucks has made its way to the surface.

And we can expect to hear a lot more on our roads.

Read the full article at Big Rigs published on January 18, 2022.

Ventia and SEA Electric have delivered the first custom-built, fully electric vehicle (EV) truck for Victoria’s arterial road construction and maintenance industry, on behalf of the Netflow Consortium.

A year in the making, the SEA Hino 917 EV supports the Victorian Government’s position to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Ventia’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Dean Banks said the company applies a client-focused, innovative and sustainable approach to essential infrastructure services and is excited to bring this approach to support the Victorian Government.

“Ventia has a strong commitment to deliver our services in a sustainable and innovative manner,” said Mr Banks.

“This EV innovation is an example of our commitment and how we are also addressing a key challenge facing our industry: transition of traditional heavy vehicles to more sustainable power sources.”

As the Services Contractor to Netflow for the 23-year term of the Western Roads Upgrade Project (WRU), Ventia will maintain 260 kilometres of recently upgraded roads between West Melbourne and Werribee.

Instead of sourcing a diesel maintenance truck for its fleet and adding to greenhouse gas emissions, Ventia and SEA Electric developed a flexible EV that not only leads the way for future projects but is purpose-built for maintenance and landscaping work.

Compared to a diesel truck, the EV will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 11 tonnes a year. Emitting no exhaust fumes, it will also improve air quality, which is another key sustainability target.

The EV truck has already received innovation recognition from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council as a market transforming opportunity.

“Our use of transport infrastructure, such as the use of cars and trucks, currently makes up 20% of national emissions. Early uptake of innovations such as electric heavy vehicles are not only critical for helping bring down the carbon footprint associated with construction and maintenance of our assets but pave the way to scale the technology which will be critical in achieving net zero more broadly,” said ISC’s Chief Operating Officer, Patrick Hastings.

“We congratulate Ventia, Netflow, and the Victorian Government on the use of electric heavy vehicles and are pleased that we can reward and recognise their introduction into the fleet through the IS Rating Scheme.”

Mr Banks said transitioning all vehicles to more sustainable power sources, including trucks, is aligned with Ventia’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals for climate action.

“The success of our first EV truck in Ventia’s fleet paves the way to introduce more EVs in our contracts across Australia and New Zealand. We hope this will encourage other companies to use EVs in their fleets too,” Mr Banks said.

Read the full article at Fleet Auto News published on December 29, 2021.

Two new side-loading electric vehicles have joined Waiheke’s roadside collections fleet, making Waiheke’s weekly collections 100 per cent zero emissions. These two FSR/SEA-Drive® 120 vehicles join a smaller Isuzu NQR, which has been in service for the past twelve months.

Electric vehicles are a lot quieter than diesel trucks, so pay attention when they’re passing through your neighbourhood.

Local Board chair Cath Handley says, “Waiheke is future focused and making changes right now to clean up our air and to play our role in preserving the planet. We invite everyone to act, not just to talk about change. These trucks are helping every local household to reduce its carbon footprint.”

Stephen Fairweather, General Manager at SEA Electric (NZ) shares how they are “proud to be involved in the electric vehicle movement on Waiheke Island, with technology that genuinely makes a positive change for the environment. The SEA-Drive® power-system has made it possible for these vehicles to be 100 per cent electric, not only for driving operations, but also by providing power for all of the ancillary refuse functions of the vehicles.”

Read the full article at Make the Most of Waste published on December 17, 2021.

SEA Electric, a provider of electric commercial vehicles originally from Australia and now based in Los Angeles has received another major order: US school bus dealer Midwest Transit Equipment (MTE) wants SEA to convert 10,000 existing school buses to electric vehicles.

SEA Electric and Midwest Transit Equipment have partnered up to equip 10,000 school buses with battery-electric drive systems. Midwest Transit Equipment is to provide the chassis that are to be equipped with the SEA-Drive propulsion system and thus become purely electric school buses. SEA Electric will not only provide the electric drives but will conduct with conversion within its “extensive network of up-fitting partners,” as Nick Casas, VP of Sales and Marketing told electrive.com. The eventually fully-electric buses will also have a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) function that of course means the vehicles will be able to act as grid-balancing vehicles and will be able to “smart charge” when energy prices are cheapest.

The retrofit of the 10,000 school buses is to be completed in the next five years. The school buses to be converted are of the US school bus class Type A and Type C. Type A is the smallest US school bus type with a length of 6 to 7.5 metres and is based on a van chassis. The traditional Type C school buses are built on truck architectures.

SEA Electric says that the conversion will extend the life of the buses by more than ten years and that two to three converted buses can be had for the price of one new electric bus. Mike Menyhart, President Americas and Chief Strategy Officer at SEA Electric says: “The secondary use of school buses fitted with all-electric drivetrains makes a lot of sense; it keeps costs down, opens up considerable availability, creates green jobs right here in the US all while making a difference in the environment and the health of the communities we serve.”

According to John McKinney, president and CEO of Midwest Transport Equipment, the partnership with SEA Electric will ensure that it can respond more quickly to customers’ needs. “As the industry moves towards zero emissions we are positioned well with our SEA Electric partnership to be a leader of the electrification movement,” says John McKinney, president and CEO of Midwest Transport Equipment.

Indeed, Nick Casas revealed to electrive.com, that SEA Electric will soon be launching in the UK, and aims to launch in six countries in Europe, including Germany.

SEA Electric is a manufacturer of US Class 3 to 8 electric commercial vehicles, light to heavy-duty. According to information from early August, SEA will have delivered more than 500 electric commercial vehicles this year alone and plans to put more than 15,000 electric vehicles on the road by the end of 2023. Just a few weeks ago, SEA Electric announced an order for 1,150 electric trucks from the GATR EV company.

SEA Electric also recently announced an electric platform for a small truck that can be driven with a normal car driver’s licence. The manufacturer also recently closed a financing round of 42 million US dollars (about 36 million euros) to further expand its business. The main investor in this round was Exro Technologies, a Canadian company with which SEA Electric has also inaugurated a strategic partnership in the course of this agreement. This financing will no doubt also come in handy with SEA Electric’s planned expansion across the pond into the UK and Europe.

Read the full article at Electrive by Carrie Hampel published on December 7, 2021.

TORRANCE, Calif., – SEA Electric and Midwest Transit Equipment (MTE) have partnered to update 10,000 school buses with battery-electric power-systems, the biggest deal of its kind to date, which paves the way for a zero-emissions future for children’s transport in North America.

MTE, one of the largest school bus dealers in the country, will be able to provide clients with a near new 100% electric bus at a fraction of the cost of a new electric school bus. The deal will cover both Type A and Type C school buses, with the deliveries scheduled over the next five years.

These buses will be powered by SEA Electric’s SEA-Drive(R) power system that currently powers buses and work trucks on four continents and six countries with over a million miles of real-world use globally.

SEA Electric will power near-new fully electric buses and extend their service life by ten plus years. This partnership promotes the ESG principle of secondary use, while reducing waste, eliminating diesel particulates and most importantly positively impacting the health and wellbeing of our students.

Each bus will have the ability to deliver full vehicle-to-grid capabilities, with the SEA-Drive(R) power system able to feed electricity back into the power grid to improve stability when connected to a charging station.

The partnership signifies a major step forward in reducing the carbon footprint of bus fleets, while also accelerating the industry to electrification at a desirable price point. Two to three re-powered buses can be delivered at the same price as a new electric bus.

“This commitment is the most significant in this segment to-date. It not only illustrates the appetite for transition to 100% electric transport, it defines the point-in-time that the commercial vehicle industry transitioned to sustainable scale, without the need for incentives” – said Tony Fairweather, Founder and CEO.

“This partnership will allow us to react to our customer’s needs more quickly and will compliment new bus sales. As the industry moves towards zero emissions we are positioned well with our SEA Electric partnership to be a leader of the electrification movement.” said John McKinney, President and CEO of Midwest Transport Equipment.

“The secondary use of school buses fitted with all-electric drivetrains makes a lot of sense; it keeps costs down, opens up considerable availability, creates green jobs right here in the US all while making a difference in the environment and the health of the communities we serve,” said Mike Menyhart, President – Americas and Chief Strategy Officer at SEA Electric.

Read the full article at School Transportation News published on December 6, 2021.