Fund grant will assist all-electric truck trial

The Eastland Group grant will go towards buying New Zealand’s first all-electric water truck, which will be used to suppress dust at Eastland Port and log yards around Gisborne.

A Gisborne infrastructure company has been awarded funding for a New Zealand-first heavy electric vehicle trial.

Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods says Eastland Group has been awarded $177,000 from the Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund, administered by EECA.

The grant will go towards buying New Zealand’s first all-electric water truck, which will be used to suppress dust at Eastland Port and log yards around Gisborne.

Eastland Group chief executive Matt Todd says the project has larger ambitions.

It will gather data on the vehicle’s economic and environmental benefits, and showcase electric innovation to logistics businesses and the public across the central North Island.

The project is part of the organisation’s wider strategy around emerging technologies and electrification of the transport fleet.

“Along with the port, our businesses include geothermal power plants in Kawerau and lines company Eastland Network. We also have a significant shareholding in retailer Flick Electric Co.

“Through Electric Village, New Zealand’s first community-focused energy hub, we’re promoting the testing and uptake of EVs in all forms.”

Last year, with support from the fund and Eastland Group’s shareholder Eastland Community Trust, Eastland Group established a region-wide network of high-speed electric vehicle chargers.

It previously committed to having at least 75 percent of its non-commercial vehicle fleet electric by 2019 – a goal they have reached a year ahead of schedule.

The next step is to rigorously investigate the potential of electric heavy vehicles within the infrastructure sector, Mr Todd says.

This is not proven because of a lack of data and technology available.

“We’ve identified an immediate opportunity at the port,” he says.

“The EECA CO2 emissions calculator showed that our diesel water truck produces a sobering 0.77 tonnes of CO2 in just 35 days, so this new truck will have an immediate impact in reducing our emissions.

“We’ll also be trialling it on a number of other transport tasks.

Logging trucks, for example, are a major contributor to the region’s noise and environmental pollution. We envisage a future where these, and other heavy vehicles in the logistics and marine sectors, move from internal combustion engines to electric models.

“A range of economic and environmental advantages will follow. From there, the whole community benefits. If a water truck can be electric, what else might be possible within diesel-dominated industries? We intend to find out.”

The project cost has been scoped at $379,000, and includes the purchase of an electric terminal tractor and an on-site charging point. The vehicle is expected to be delivered and operational by the end of the year.