Ampol is partnering with Australia’s SEA Electric to develop EV charging infrastructure, through its AmpCharge business, for commercial EVs in the transport sector.
The partnership’s aim is to help reduce range anxiety for businesses looking to invest in electric trucks.
Ampol has existing partnerships with a number of carmakers, including Toyota, Hyundai and BYD. This latest partnership with SEA Electric will be a first in the commercial electric vehicle (EV) sector.
The partnership between the Ampol and SEA Electric will focus on building a charging solution for SEA Electric customers at Ampol forecourts, destinations, and workplaces.
SEA 300 EV
Ampol general manager James Myatt said the company’s partnership with SEA Electric will use its knowledge and relationships across industries to help support a commercial vehicle owner’s decarbonisation goals.
“Ampol is evolving to provide a range of fast and reliable charging solutions,” said Mr Myatt.
“We know our business customers are looking for lower emissions solutions and want to ensure their investment in commercial electric vehicles can be supported with efficient and reliable charging technologies.”
“Ampol is committed to developing an open access national charging network as well as home and business charging solutions to ensure vehicles can be on the road whenever needed,” Mr Myatt added.
“SEA Electric is proud to partner with Ampol on this project, as both companies lead the country in the transition to sustainable transport,” said SEA Electric president, Asia Pacific region Bill Gillespie.
“Through this collaboration, we are shining a light on the fact that electric powered truck fleets can be operationally flexible by accessing convenient charging infrastructure through the AmpCharge network.
“At SEA Electric, we are building an entire customer led ecosystem to simplify the transition to electrification, with a SEA Electric trained national dealer network for sales and service, full factory warranty, 24/7 support and roadside assistance, and a range of charging options at base or on the road,” Mr Gillespie added.
“Ampol should be applauded for taking the lead with its future energy and mobility strategy, and we look forward to working together into the future on expanding the initiative.”
Ampol first launched its AmpCharge business early last year, and currently aims to have 110 DC fast-charging charging bays at 19 EV charging hubs in Greater Sydney and regional New South Wales this year.
SEA Electric was founded in 2012 and has been conducting EV driveline swaps on diesel trucks since 2017 using its patented SEA-Drive Power System.
In 2021 it launched its local range of SEA Electric-badged trucks, the SEA 300 EV and SEA 500 EV, which offer options ranging between a 4.5-tonne truck that’s driveable on a car licence, through to 22.5-tonne three-axle rigids.
SEA Electric doubled its production capacity at its facility in Dandenong in September last year with it now projected to produce up to eight trucks per day, or 2080 annually.
Last week, SEA Electric announced it had signed a billion-dollar deal with MEVCO to convert 8500 Toyota HiLuxes and LandCruisers to EVs for the mining industry by 2028.
Already more than half of the 2023 allocation of the Australian-developed BEV workhorses have been pre-sold, with demonstrator models available in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
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