Electric truck maker, SEA Electric has announced its biggest sales order so far, clinching a deal to supply more than 1,000 electric M5 EVs based on Hino’s 500 Series medium duty trucks in the USA.
SEA announced the deal with GATR EV, a division of GATR Truck Centers. which operates five dealerships throughout the US states of Iowa and Minnesota. GATR currently has an e-commerce system in development to sell purely electric vehicles.
The first 40 vehicles are expected to be delivered by the end of December this year, with the remaining vehicles to be delivered throughout next year.
“GATR EV is excited to be at the forefront of launching electric vehicles into the transportation industry,” said GATR Truck Centrers, director of sales at GATR EV, Jay Klemp
“Because of this strategic partnership, we can build enough quantity of these Hino trucks to provide demonstration vehicles, and also solutions to our future fleet partners,”Klemp said.
SEA Electric’s chief strategy officer and president for the Americas, Mike Menyhart, said the deal was the culmination of years of research, development and growth, and proves that SEA Electric is on track to be number one when it comes to electrifying fleets across the world.
“The market is looking for a proven EV solution, and with SEA Electric, we bring that to the industry technology which has been verified with millions of miles of real-world use,” Menyart said
“This announcement reaffirms our commitment to continue our rapid expansion within the North American market, and sets the scene for an exciting 2022,” he added.
According to the company the deal is a milestone and is its first four digit electric truck order far exceeding the previous benchmark order for SEA Electric.
“This order comes in a non-incentive state, which proves that commercial EV solutions can expand in areas with no incentives, while all corners of the market are seeking premium EV solutions,” said Nick Casas, SEA Electric’s vice president of sales and marketing.
“GATR has a partnership with Merchants Fleet, which will benefit the end-user, who will not only be able to access an electric solution straight away, but will be able to transact with one of the most respected leasing companies in the USA,” Casas added.
SEA claims the deal enhances Merchants’ ‘robust commitment to the acceleration of fleet electrification throughout North America’.
Merchants Fleet is one of America’s fastest growing fleet management companies, and has committed more than $US2billion toward making 50 per cent of its fleet electric by 2025 and 50 per cent of its clients’ fleets to be electric by 2030.
Merchants has also launched an Adopt EV program , which is designed to help guide businesses through each step of the fleet electrification process-from assessing needs, to purchasing the right vehicles, to charging options and infrastructure support.
Now headquartered in Los Angeles, SEA Electric was originally founded in Melbourne, but has been making major waves in the North American market over the past 18 months, establishing a collaborations with OEMs including Hino, as well as forging a network of technology partners, and raising considerable capital in a major equity placement.
