JULY 2020 HEAVY EV LANDS FOR FOODSTUFFS P. 06 P. 10 P. 12 NEW APPROACH FOR EV WAIT BEGINS FOR OPENLOOP LAUNCHES DEALER TOYOTA EV Drive your business forward with Call Steve Owens now on 021 947 752 WWW.EVSANDBEYOND.CO.NZ | EVS AND BEYOND JULY 2020 1 HEAVY EV KEEPS THINGS COOL AND GREEN From the tailgate to the engine and the fridge-freezer unit that sits on top, everything on Foodstuffs’ new heavy EV is powered by a battery. With help from the Energy Efficiency Foodstuffs NZ sustainability manager Mike Sammons says data on the truck will and Conservation Authority (EECA), the Sammons says it’s “a huge feat of Kiwi be collected over the next 12 months new vehicle is now making deliveries ingenuity”. “to really get an understanding of the as New Zealand’s first electric powered “We couldn’t purchase a fully electric potential for electric trucks as a viable refrigerated heavy-duty truck. refrigerated truck, because it didn’t exist, alternative to the status quo”. It is the latest of several projects between so we had the idea to custom-build one,” EECA transport portfolio manager Richard Foodstuffs and EECA as they collaborate he says. Briggs says they could see the potential in the drive towards a carbon neutral New With carbon emissions from transport immediately. Zealand by 2050. at 18% in New Zealand, Sammons is “Heavy vehicles make up less than 5% The total cost of the truck hasn’t been optimistic this new innovation will have a of the national fleet, but are responsible totalled yet, however, EECA funded role to play in transport carbon reduction. for 29% of land transport emissions, so $400,000 towards the project which also “We’re 100% committed to playing decarbonising the heavy fleet as much as included two other ambient trucks with all our part in creating more sustainable possible will have a huge, positive impact.” three now on the road. transport solutions, building a fully EECA had previously co-funded Foodstuffs It followed Foodstuffs’ successful electric refrigeration truck is a massive to deliver 61 fast charge stations and 28 application to the Low Emission Vehicles leap towards a carbon-free future for electric delivery vans. Contestable Fund for co-funding support. New Zealand,” he says. “Foodstuffs has developed a great track 2 EVS AND BEYOND JULY 2020 | WWW.EVSANDBEYOND.CO.NZ record in this space, proving the viability of however a smaller EV refrigerated truck electrification,” Briggs says. for Countdown home delivery was the first With EECA’s backing, Foodstuffs pulled project. together some of the country’s brightest He says the company has now been and best transport, electrical and involved in a number of EV projects from refrigeration engineers to convert the waste collection, home delivery, daily standard Isuzu FVY, 24 tonne, 6-wheel freight and elevated work platform trucks. diesel truck to be 100% electric powered. “This vehicle’s requirements is certainly The electric truck will operate from the the largest refrigeration unit we’ve tackled Foodstuffs distribution centre in Grenada in New Zealand, although it has been Wellington, under the stewardship of done prior in Australia. With the correct Foodstuffs North Island Transport. auxiliary equipment it is manageable,” MIKE SAMMONS After extensive testing and driver training, Fairweather says. the electric truck recently set out on its “SEA Electric’s drive system is ideally first official delivery run to New World suited to the metropolitan delivery model Miramar, a 60km round trip. where this type of requirement comes With a range of between 150 and 200km into play. Being able to configure the SEA and capable of transporting 14 pallets Drive system to customers usage, GVM of product at temperatures as low as and range requirements enables endless minus 15 degrees centigrade, the truck possibilities,” he says. completed its inaugural journey with ease. The company also worked closely with Automotive technology company SEA transport refrigeration specialist Thermo Electric carried out the EV conversion on King. and Fairweather says alignment the Isuzu truck featuring its SEA-Drive between both parties is “critical” to getting 180 power system. the job done. STEPHEN FAIRWEATHER SEA Electric NZ general manager Stephen Fairweather says it’s the first heavy refrigerated truck to hit the road, — Smarter Mobility For transport of the future, today www.abb.com/evcharging WWW.EVSANDBEYOND.CO.NZ | EVS AND BEYOND JULY 2020 3 Waitaki Lines Project, and eliminate or reduce It will establish It’s all happening this month! the Transpower $500-$600m investment needed a Clean Energy While COVID-19 still dominates global headlines, across New Zealand to balance the energy surplus. Industry Training New Zealand is in the fortunate position of “If the Facebook page we’ve created gets to Plan to support grappling with other stuff. 10,000+ likes, we’ll build a business-funded team thousands of people Perhaps the pandemic, showing little sign of and pitch Tesla. We’ll co-ordinate across the into jobs, introduce grants to halve the abating globally, has prompted a rethink around electricity industry, local and central government,” By editor Geoff Dobson transport emissions and the environment, Broomhall says. price of installing particularly relating to climate change. “Here’s the team we’d pull together: Electricity solar in privately- Tesla is at the forefront, its production and sales industry executives, Southland community owned homes, and stepping up with factories being built at a frantic representatives, Ngai Tahu representatives, local offer grants and low- pace as demand for EVs increases. and central government representatives. interest loans for businesses to transition. The Tesla Model 3 helped the company top the “Our team already has networks into the US tech The Greens also want to upgrade all 63,000 social United Kingdom’s 150% increase in electric car industry in the EV space which we would leverage. and community homes with solar panels and sales for instance. Tax breaks and an EV grant may “And we’re sure others would jump on board. batteries, ban new industrial coal boilers within the first 100 days in government, and end coal use in be helping there. “Let’s leverage our clean and green image and Aotearoa by 2030. And if a move by Nigel Broomhall pays dividends use it to create jobs in a high-tech industry that Tesla just might be persuaded to set up a aims to make the world a better place. “ The plan proposes creating a $250 million Clean Energy Fund which communities can draw from Gigafactory at Tiwai Point now that Rio Tinto is Talking to Tesla might take the heat out of the for local renewable energy projects, and it aims to pulling the plug on the power gobbling aluminium apparent demise of the government’s Clean Car simplify planning rules to make it easier to build smelter there. Plan remnants, despite the Green Party’s earlier wind turbines. Main power supplier Meridian Energy has been hopes to make it an election issue. You would imagine EVs are part of the equation given notice to terminate its power contract by If it impacts on the September 19 general election, somewhere along the line. August next year. then it may not be in the way the Greens planned. I’m waiting to see what other parties will suggest Calling the project “Tesla Down Under” (or They’re blaming NZ First for blocking it. in the way of help for renewable energy and EV perhaps it could be “Tesla for Tiwai”), Broomhall – The emissions target side of it (Clean Car Standard) uptake prior to the September election. who has more than 10 years’ experience in the EV was expected to go to Cabinet before the election, Meanwhile, EV sales are picking up here and industry and, in fact, once led Meridian Energy’s but that looks to be gone now. overseas – incentives or not. EV programme - Is seeking support for a pitch to The feebate side (Clean Car Discount) of the And if Tesla does like the Tiwai Point idea New Tesla. scheme, which promised rebates for EVs, was He says Tiwai has 570MW of 100% renewable reportedly earlier blocked by NZ First and may (or Zealand could be in the EV driver’s seat. electricity, a commercial deep-water port designed may not) be reconsidered after the election. to manage raw materials, all the electricity Associate transport minister Julie Anne Genter transmission hardware to get the energy into the accuses NZ First of not putting up a viable site and more than 1200 skilled manufacturing alternative. GeoffEDITOR Dobson staff. Instead, the Green Party has released a Clean Broomhall reckons it would involve NZ$6.9 billion Energy Plan which doesn’t directly mention EVs, investment, provide 8000 jobs, reduce or eliminate but says it’s “part one” of a plan for “a fossil-fuel the $100 million Transpower Clutha Upper- free Aotearoa”. ANNEKE FEATONBY JOINS THE EVS AND BEYOND TEAM Anneke (pronounced like the herb arnica) Daniel, who is also involved in the motor But working in the automotive field is what she Featonby is our new business development industry, and their children, for about eight enjoys most, and she will bring her heightened manager. years. skills to the task. She’s been in the motor trade industry nearly 13 She enjoys walking the family dog at Muriwai “I’m very excited to be back in the industry and years, so knows what she’s talking about. Beach and visiting West Auckland vineyards. I’m looking forward to taking EVs and Beyond to Featonby was business development manager “I’m looking forward to catching up with old new heights.” for AutoBase from 2007 to 2012 when it sold to friends and making new ones,” she says of her She’s taking over the business development Trade Me Motors, and she remained in the role new role.