Sydney is set to become home to a new electric truck charging hub. This facility, located in Mascot, New South Wales, will support the rollout of battery electric vehicle (BEV) trucks for grocery deliveries.
The charging hub is being developed by global fleet electrification specialist Zenobē. It received $8.5 million in funding from the Driving the Nation Fund. It will be key to the company’s $19 million project to introduce electric trucks to the industry, starting with Woolworths.
Darren Miller, CEO of ARENA, said the significance of this initiative in reducing emissions in Australia’s transport sector.
“This Australian-first project is showing the heavy transport sector how electrification can be integrated into their existing business models and drive down the high emissions from transporting goods on our roads,” Miller explained.
The new charging hub will feature 22 dual-port chargers, equipped with smart charging software to optimise energy use. It will also utilise stationary battery storage made from repurposed batteries from old electric vehicles. The site will support a fleet of 60 electric trucks leased to Woolworths and will also have the capacity to expand, creating a multi-user charging facility.
Breaking Barriers with EV-as-a-Service
Zenobē’s electric vehicle as a service (EVaaS) model aims to facilitate businesses’ transition to electric fleets by tackling challenges such as high upfront costs and technical expertise gaps. Nicholas Beatty, the founder of Zenobē, highlighted the importance of collaboration and green financing for projects like this.
“Green finance is key to unlocking flagship projects like this, accelerating transport decarbonization,” Beatty said. “Together with ARENA and Woolworths, we are showing that the truck sector can electrify today.”
Construction on the electric truck charging hub will begin in September 2024, and operations will start in early 2025. This facility will support Woolworths and be available for other users. It will help the broader industry reduce emissions and adopt electric transport solutions.
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