Melbourne based company SEA Electric has commenced the first production of electric trucks at commercial volume levels in Australia, with the first of the vehicles currently on the SEA Electric production line in Melbourne.
Two SEA Electric-badged vehicles, the SEA 300 and SEA 500, based on the Hino 500 Series and Hino 300 Series models, are now available for purchase.
The trucks are propelled by SEA Electric’s SEA-Drive Power-System, which is available in various performance and range packages to suit applications from 4.5 tonne car licence vehicles through to 22.5 tonne 3 axle trucks.
Previously only available as a retrofit option for existing diesel vehicles, the trucks are assembled from Semi Knocked Down (SKD) kits, complete with a fully integrated SEA-Drive Power-System from new.
According to SEA, real world testing of in-service vehicles that travel up to 1000 kilometres per week has revealed daily recharging costs of less than $14 per day using standard off-peak electricity prices of 15c per kWh.
The SEA-Drive Power-System has an upgradable plug and play architecture, which can be charged using 415V 3-phase power via the truck’s standard on-board charging equipment, with optional DC fast charging also available. The fast charging option enables a charging rate four times faster than standard, and offers range extending top-ups during lunch hour or vehicle loading.
From an operational perspective, lower maintenance and running costs are possible, with diesel consumption eliminated and fewer moving parts minimising service costs.
The trucks are currently on sale from 15 SEA Electric dealers nationwide expected to provide service and parts support, including any work carried out under the standard three-year warranty.
Roadside Assistance will be available via NTI for the life of the warranty period.
