Zero-emission electric trucks get to work in Christchurch
Nine battery-electric Fuso eCanter trucks are being leased by nine companies who signed on to participate in two projects launched by Christchurch City Council to help it achieve its goal of halving greenhouse-gas emissions for the district by 2030.
More than $3 million is being invested in the two projects, with funding coming from the nine companies leasing the trucks, the Low
Emission Transport Fund (administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) and EROAD. The trucks are leased through TR Group.
Mercury NZ is also supplying some funding towards on-route truck charging infrastructure as part of the Shopping District Delivery Services Project.
The first project – the
Civil Construction and Maintenance Services Project – involves five civil construction and maintenance services companies (Citycare Property, Fulton Hogan,
HEB Construction, Higgins Contractors, and Isaac Construction) that work for the council. They will use specialist battery electric trucks to perform their contracted services.
The second project – the Shopping District Battery Electric Truck Delivery Services Project – involves commercial property owners investigating the opportunity of having zero-exhaust emission areas for delivery vehicles. Four transport companies – Bidfood, Hall’s, PBT Transport and Toll New Zealand – will be using battery electric trucks to deliver goods to the Papanui shopping district, with Northlands and Northlink Shopping Centres involved, and to the Christchurch Airport shopping district.
“The projects aim to show what’s possible with the electrification of commercial trucks. With transport making up most of our district’s emissions, it’s critical that we find a path towards zero-exhaustemission trucks, in addition to battery electric passenger cars,” says Christchurch City Council resource efficiency manager Kevin Crutchley.
“We’re gathering practical learnings from the projects so that truck operators can see how to best use battery electric truck technology for their operations.”