Australian EV truck producer to double manufacturing capability

Australian electrical truck-maker SEA Electrical is doubling down on its dedication to native manufacturing.

The corporate stated this week it will double the capability of its manufacturing facility in Dandenong, Victoria – now projected to provide as much as eight vehicles per day, or 2080 yearly.

In an effort to make area for this additional manufacturing, the SEA Electrical manufacturing plant will broaden to cowl 8000m² of its 15,000m² complete web site space.

SEA Electrical was based in 2012 and has been conducting EV driveline swaps on diesel vehicles since 2017 utilizing its patented SEA-Driver Energy System.

Final 12 months it launched its native vary of SEA Electrical-badged vehicles, the SEA 300 EV and the SEA 500 EV, which supply choices ranging between a 4.5-tonne truck that’s drive-able on a automotive licence, by way of to 22.5-tonne three-axle rigids.

This expanded SEA Electrical manufacturing facility might be powered by renewable power as a 100kW rooftop photo voltaic array was put in final 12 months, which the corporate says has produced 129MWh of power so far.

SEA Electrical says this photo voltaic array system has ensured the manufacturing plant is roughly 60 per cent carbon constructive, which suggests it produces 60 per cent extra power than it consumes.

Sooner or later, SEA Electrical plans on utilizing the batteries in vehicle-to-grid-capable vehicles on-site, the place the vehicles can present energy throughout peak demand or grid disruption.

The electrical vehicles that SEA Electrical produces regionally are based mostly on diesel Hinos, constructed from a Semi Identified Down (SKD) package despatched over, and completed with new badging and branding, full with its personal compliance plate and manufacturing unit guarantee.

Ultimate functions for these SEA electrical vehicles embody dry and refrigerated freight, facet, entrance and rear refuse vehicles, tilt trays, work vehicles and elevated work platforms, amongst others. It additionally just lately launched Australia’s first airport refuelling EV truck.

“Australia doesn’t want to look the world to draw EV producers – SEA Electrical is proud to be a worldwide chief in industrial eMobility know-how, homegrown right here in Victoria,” stated SEA Electrical founder and CEO Tony Fairweather.

“Since launching our new vary final 12 months, we now have attracted unimaginable curiosity from a large cross-section of main firms and authorities our bodies, who search to enhance their environmental sustainability, regardless of an absence of coverage and incentives to gas development within the sector on these shores.

MORE: SEA Electrical launches new Australian-assembled EV truck

“The latest change of Federal Authorities and the next enhance in EV exercise, has supplied SEA Electrical with renewed confidence that applicable coverage and incentives perhaps shut. There are numerous examples of profitable coverage in EV progressive international locations such because the US that we must always merely emulate.

“Regardless of Australian passenger automotive manufacturing wrapping up in 2017, we nonetheless have vibrant engineering, growth, and manufacturing capabilities, of which we needs to be proud.”

SEA Electrical is one instance of an Australian firm re-engineering automobiles or making core parts in Australia.

Others embody DC cost level chief Tritium; light-weight wheel-maker Carbon Revolution; off-road accent big ARB; Walkinshaw the right-hand drive converter for GMSV and Ram Vehicles Australia; and Nissan Australia which makes Leaf EV elements in Dandenong.

SEA has a worldwide presence, with product in seven international locations together with the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, and South Africa.

North America has its largest “upfitting capability” at greater than 30,000 items every year. However Australia’s manufacturing unit facility for quantity industrial manufacturing of electrical vehicles is the mannequin for use transferring ahead.

MORE: SEA Electrical launches new Australian-assembled EV truck