Australian transport company to power 30-strong electric truck fleet with off-grid solar and batteries

Transport and logistics company Centurion has announced that it will create a 30-strong electric truck fleet that will be used for metro deliveries but will be powered and charged only by a massive off-grid solar and battery system.

The fleet of Mercedes-Benz 16-tonne eActros trucks will be the first 100% renewable, off-grid EV fleet in Australia, and the $29 million project is to get $15.8 million from Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

That will help build 15 dual port chargers, install 4 MW of rooftop solar and a big 10 MWh battery storage system at Centurion’s depot at Hazelmere in Perth.

“This project represents a significant step in Centurion’s decarbonisation journey and continuing our work towards an operational future with net zero emissions,” said Centurion CEO Justin Cardaci.

“Centurion actively seeks to deploy technology where its ready to displace the diesel transport equivalent and the ARENA funding certainly helps support the economics of this project.

“Operating a real zero emissions Mercedes-Benz eActros truck fleet from off grid solar and battery is a significant step in supporting the energy transition.”

The German eActros trucks have a range of 300km from their 336 kWh batteries when fully loaded, are within government regulation limits, are significantly quieter than ICE vehicles, and are able to charge from 20 – 80% in just over an hour using a 150kW charger. The trucks will be officially launched in Australia in May.

“This remarkable off-grid eActros project is truly inspiring,” Daimler Truck Australia Pacific President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead.

Daimler, who are owned by the Mercedes-Benz group, manufactured the trucks.

“But Centurion has long been focused on reducing emissions and has been running the most fuel-efficient trucks that meet or exceed Euro 6 emission standards from Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz for many years, well before the standards are regulated.”

The ARENA funding is part of a larger ‘Driving the Nation’ program, where Patrick Terminals and The Western Australian Local Government Association will also be given finding to install electric trucks and fast chargers.

“These three projects demonstrate a variety of vehicles and use cases for EVs including industries that have previously proved challenging to reduce vehicle emissions,” said ARENA CEO Darren Miller said.

“This is exactly what ARENA’s Driving the Nation program is for; testing and demonstrating new use cases for electrical vehicles to prove the business case for low emissions transport.”