Electric vehicle start up company Sea Electric has announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with light commercial electric vehicle system integrator, Mevco, for what it describes as “the next step in its journey to electrify the world’s commercial vehicle fleet”.
According to Sea Electric’s media release, the partnership will see specialist all-electric Hilux and Landcruiser models made available for the mining industry, with Mevco making a commitment to order 8,500 units over the next five years.
The company says the deal has a total value of close to $AUD1 billion and that at the time of launch more than half of the 2023 allocation of the Australian-developed battery-electric vehicles have been pre-sold, and that demonstration models will be available in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
From the statement Sea Electric’s proprietary Sea-Drive power-system, will be used at the heart of the conversions.
Sea Electric says its solution is light, cost‐effective, and efficient, as a result of its medium‐voltage architecture and electronic thermal management, and says that the system has been tested in the field across eight countries with over 2.5 million kilometres of real-world use registered to date.
The HiLux and LandCrusier models will be available in various mining-specific designs for 4×4 and 4×2 configurations, and can be specified with two Sea-Drive options, including an 88kWh battery with a 380km range, or a 60kWh battery delivering up to 260km of use.
The company says that fast DC to DC charging is available for the system, which it claims provides up to 80 per cent battery power in less than one hour, with a five-year factory warranty on the batteries supplied.
Sea Electric says that the switch to EV provides a comfortable work environment, with health and safety considerations including no noise, fumes, heat, or vibrations for users.
Mevco is a subsidiary of RCF Jolimont , which is part of large private equity operation Resource Capital Funds, which is largely focused on the mining industry.
“This is a pivotal partnership for the mining industry,” said the CEO of Mevco, Matt Cahir.
“It enables the world’s leading EV technology for heavy and light commercial trucks to be commercialized on a scale that makes sense for the bespoke needs of the mining sector,” said Cahir.
“SEA Electric’s unique architecture is perfectly suited for the task, with the system’s high-torque characteristics ideally fit for purpose,” he added.
Sea Electric said the announcement is ‘the logical next step in the company’s expansion in the commercial vehicle space, opening up possibilities for the technology on a global scale for a wide variety of applications’.
“Across all industries, companies now understand they have a role to play in ensuring they are a part of the solution to the environmental problems we face,” said the founder and CEO of SEA Electric, Tony Fairweather.
“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,” Fairweather said.
“Through Mevco, the mining industry will now be able to access cutting-edge technology, which delivers top performance and total cost of ownership prospects, all with sustainability at the forefront,” he added.
“This deal is a significant step forward in Australia and shows just what is possible when it comes to electrifying the world’s fleets.”
