Australia’s mining industry is about to get slightly greener, with Australian-founded company SEA Electric set to convert thousands of light-commercial vehicles used on mines to electric power over the next few years.
SEA Electric, which is now headquartered in the US in California, has signed a memorandum of understanding with MEVCO, a company that specialises in electric light-commercial vehicle system integration in the mining industry, to convert 8500 Toyota HiLux utes and LandCruiser 4X4s to electric power over the next five years.
The roughly-billion-dollar deal would see thousands of light-commercial vehicles running on SEA Electric’s ‘SEA-Drive’ system which is adaptable to a variety of vehicles, and can be specifically designed for uses that require four- or two-wheel drive, and with different battery capacities.
SEA Electric says the batteries it will use for the mining industry are an 88kWh battery which provides 380km of range, or a 60kWh battery delivering up to 260km.
It allows for an 80 per cent charge in less than an hour with fast DC charging, and its conversions will feature a five-year factory warranty on the batteries.
SEA Electric founder and CEO Tony Fairweather says industrial leaders are now seeing more sense in shifting to electric power for company elements like fleets to ensure “they are a part of the solution to the environmental problems we face”.
He says electric power makes sense for light-commercial vehicles like utes and 4X4s used in mining.
“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.
“This deal is a significant step forward in Australia and shows just what is possible when it comes to electrifying the world’s fleets.”
The announcement comes soon after Queensland-based company Roev committed to converting 1000 Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger utes to electric power over the next 12 months.
Keyword: Thousands of electric Toyota HiLux and LandCruiser commercial vehicles coming to Australian mines