Foton, a light commercial truck maker, has announced that it’s topped electric truck sales in its first year of entering the Australian market, thanks to the use of its T5 EV model that is now being used by large last-mile delivery companies like Ikea and Woolworths.
Foton Mobility distribution general manager of light duty vehicles, Bill Gillespie says more than 200 orders have been received so far this year, with Kings Transport and Grace removals also among its first customers.
Foton is also continuing to grow its dealer network which according to Gillespie has nationwide ambitions: “Another highlight of this year has been the launch of our nationwide dealer and service network from Cairns to Perth, with more dealer points soon to be added.”
As of October, FCAI vFacts data shows that Foton delivered 64 vehicles with more units to be delivered before the end of the year. In comparison, Hyundai’s recently launched Mighty truck has had deliveries of 4 units but that’s also expected to rise in the next 12 months.
The T5 EV has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) rating of 4,500 kg which can be driven on a car license with all the way up to 6,000 kg for those with a light rigid licence.
It’s also able to tow which is one of its unique features, allowing up to 3,500 of braked towing. This is ideal for councils and road maintenance teams looking at towing a trailer with site equipment or machinery needed to get the job done.
This truck is also available in a locally made steel tipper body which helps councils and landscaping companies to transition their fleets to a fully electric truck sooner.
According to the company, for fleets with electric trucks, The Foton T5 EV offers around 20% lower upfront and operational expenditure as these trucks no longer rely on diesel.
The T5 EV has a range of 180 km with a battery pack that’s supplied by CATL, the largest battery maker in the world which also supplies batteries to brands like Tesla.
It also comes equipped with a safety suite which includes:
- Low-Speed Pedestrian Warning System
- Comprehensive electronic braking and stability support package
- Dual SRS airbags
- Reversing camera and buzzer
Foton has plans to up its new energy vehicles (NEV) business from 22,000 light trucks back in 2022 to over 150,000 units by 2025.
With the first year coming to a close and interest from the trucking industry growing in electrifying the fleet towards zero-emission vehicles, 2024 is almost certain to be a big year for electric trucks from Foton and other brands.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.