Aussie tech to tell heavy electric trucks where to go
Replacing heavy-duty diesel trucks with electric tractors can be a complex journey, but a local start-up is offering to break the trucking industry’s milestones.
Australia-based Eco Route Advisory appeared at TruckShowX in the NSW Hunter Valley on Tuesday and is looking for candidates to test its electric truck technology.
The development comes after the company received a $440,000 grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and as interest in low-emission transport rises alongside fuel prices.
Heavy vehicles make up four per cent of Australia’s vehicle fleet but contribute 25 per cent of pollution, according to government estimates.
Eco Route founder Marceline Overduin said more and more companies are wondering about swapping large diesel trucks for electric models to reduce pollution and operating costs, but that path is often unclear.
“There is uncertainty about how far an electric truck can actually go, and that’s often because actual range is different from what manufacturers publish in their nice, glossy brochures,” he told AAP.
“We do feasibility assessments in minutes; we calculate how far a truck can go, where it charges, how much it charges, how long the waiting period will be.”
Variables included in the calculation include the truck’s load, the charge and age of its battery, the slope of the route, speed limits and driver fatigue management.
The physics of five electric truck brands, including Windrose and Janus, were also factored into the model for accuracy and validated against real-world journeys, Ms. Overduin said.
He said using the model could reduce both costs and time when considering electric truck purchases.
“A two-week live trial will typically cost the operator around $20,000, but the vehicle required for a single trip is a fraction of that,” he said.
“My quote is insight before investment; you need to know if it’s going to work before you sign the piece of paper that binds you.”
ARENA transport general manager Alex Grant said the electric truck projections would also be useful for charging operators and government departments because they needed more information on where charging stations would be located.
The agency awarded the firm a $440,000 grant under its Renewable Energy Development Programme, and Mr Grant said he recognized its potential impact.
“This tool is a highly scalable model for government, industry and operators,” he said.
“This will give infrastructure planners good data so they can map what their processes look like and what path they need to take to implement the backbone. It’s come at just the right time.”
Other electric truck initiatives in Australia include plans by New Energy Transport for a low-emission freight corridor in Sydney’s southwest and Volvo’s commitment to produce electric trucks in Brisbane.
