Countdown has introduced the first of five refrigerated electric delivery trucks to its online shopping service, powered by the SEA-Drive® 100 power-system.
The EV trucks will eliminate about 135,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
The new trucks with an estimated 220km range are part of Countdown’s overall drive to lower carbon emissions across its business.
The first truck at Countdown St Johns in Auckland will service customers in St Johns, Greenlane, Remuera, Stonefields and St Heliers.
“We believe that electric vehicles will play a really important part of New Zealand’s lower energy future and by investing in electric delivery trucks we’re not only generating fewer emissions, but also helping to future-proof our growing online business,” Countdown safety and sustainability general manager Kiri Hannifin says.
“In the last three years we’ve reduced carbon emissions across our business by almost 15%.”
Each EV truck has a refrigerated unit, including a separate freezer compartment, to ensure food safety and quality.
“There are some additional complexities running refrigeration in an electric vehicle, however given our commitment to move towards a low cabon economy, this investment felt right,” Hannifin says.
The cost of the five trucks is about $700,000, part of the cost met in converting diesel trucks to electric through a Government low emission vehicles contestable fund grant of $387,500 last year.
Countdown also introduced an EV charging station at its support office last year and launched 15 charging stations in five of its Hamilton stores, offering the service for free. READ MORE
Article by Geoff Dobson, evtalk.co.nz, August 22 2019
