A new partnership will rapidly transition more mine sites away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
More than 8500 Toyota Hilux and Landcruiser electric vehicles will soon begin rolling out across the resources industry.
Gold Coast-based MEVCO and US-headquartered SEA Electric recently signed a memorandum of understanding that accelerates mine utility vehicle fleet electrification over the next five years. AMR can reveal the deal is worth nearly $1 billion.
Demonstration models have already arrived in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. The utes are powered by either an 88 kilowatt per hour (kWh) battery that boasts a 380km maximum range, or a 60kWh unit that delivers up to 260km.
Batteries are promised to take less than 60 minutes to recharge to 80 per cent capacity when using fast DC technology. They are claimed to have a 10-year lifespan and come with a five year factory warranty.
SEA Electric claims the vehicles are safe for underground operations because they emit no noise, fumes, heat or vibrations.
“With the SEA-Drive power-system we have developed technology that is perfectly adaptable to a wide range of commercial vehicle tasks that have typically been the domain of diesel-powered engines,” company founding CEO Tony Fairweather said in a public statement.
“This is a pivotal partnership for the mining industry. It enables … electric vehicle technology for heavy and light commercial trucks to be commercialised on a scale that makes sense for the bespoke needs of the mining sector,” MEVCO CEO Matt Cahir added.
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