Leading Australian logistics firm Centurion the country’s first fully off-grid and 100 per cent renewable energy-powered battery electric vehicle (BEV) truck fleet is now fully operational.
Centurion announced the $29 million project early last year, with funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Future Fuels Program, to integrate 30 Mercedes-Benz eActros electric trucks into the company’s existing fleet, with charging of the trucks to be powered by solar and off-grid battery energy storage.
In February, Centurion marked the commissioning of the first of two charging sites at its Perth Airport depot, as well as the launch of the first 20 eActros electric trucks.
Earlier this month, Centurion commissioned the second of the two charging sites and added a further 10 eActros electric trucks to its fleet, bringing the total to 30, all of which are fuelled by onsite renewable power.
“The project is now fully operational, and it marks a significant milestone in progressing our decarbonisation journey,” said Justin Cardaci, CEO of Centurion.
“Completing this important infrastructure milestone and having the full electric truck fleet operational is a great outcome for Centurion.
“It shows that with the right partnerships and investment, sustainable freight solutions are achievable today. We’re not only reducing emissions but also providing electric trucks fuelled by green energy that can deliver a high-quality reliable service for our customers.”
The 30 eActros trucks include 25 rigid eActros 300 units and five eActros prime movers, all of which are now servicing the Perth metropolitan area.
The two charging sites are powered by 4.4 megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar and backed by 10.3 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery storage and consist of a total of 15 dual-port 75 kilowatt (kW) and 150kW chargers and a back-up generator which operates on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).
“We’re thrilled to see 10 more Mercedes-Benz eActros trucks join Centurion’s off-grid solar fleet, joining the 20 units that have already been delivering for customers and producing zero exhaust emissions,” said Daniel Whitehead, president and CEO of Daimler Truck Australia Pacific.
“Day 1 of Centurion’s 30-strong fully electric eActros truck fleet marks an important milestone for sustainable logistics in Australia. This is a remarkable achievement, and I would like to congratulate Justin Cardaci and his team at Centurion for making it a reality.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.