While a number of companies have been trialling small electric trucks for local delivery work, there hasn’t yet to be any large-scale transformation projects within the industry.
Until now. Team Global Express, one of the biggest last mile and express logistics providers in the country, has, as part of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s Driving the Nation Fund, unveiled 43 out of the total 60 electric trucks alongside a comprehensive charging infrastructure at the company’s Bungarribee depot in Western Sydney.
The launch event gathered together dignitaries from across the globe including the Australian Prime Minister.
Recognised as the biggest logistics transition project within the country, the $44 million undertaking sets a new benchmark for the transport industry and showcases a huge leap in infrastructure capability.
JET Charge, Australia’s leading EV charging infrastructure and technology company, has partnered with Team Global Express to provide the innovative charging solutions for the 36 Volvo Electric FL units and 24 Fuso eCanters that the fleet has invested in to help reduce its Scope 1 emissions.
“We are thrilled to contribute to what is undoubtedly a landmark project in the logistics sector – not just for JET Charge, but for the entire country,” says JET Charge CEO Tim Washington.
The battery electric fleet required new charging infrastructure at the depot. All of which had to be built from scratch as part of the enterprise.
It was a mammoth task and not just in installing the chargers, but also the upstream design, electrical, communications, management and optimisation work required to make the site run smoothly.
From the very beginning, JET Charge was involved in various stages of the project, including concept design and planning, a significant input into the final design’s efficiency and effectiveness, charger supply tailored to the project’s needs, fit-off commissioning to ensure all systems were correctly installed and operational, ongoing maintenance and support, and dashboard monitoring and reporting.
Underpinning the design was JET Charge’s advanced energy management system, JET Charge CORE, which allows the project to use existing electrical infrastructure without the need for a new high voltage connection.
This means charging can operate around the use of existing on-site equipment, preventing tripping at the site.
“The JET Charge CORE system allows energy to be intelligently controlled within the site,” says Alex Bowler, the JET Charge Sector Leader of Bus and Heavy Vehicles.
“The Bungarribee depot wasn’t designed or built to power electric vehicles. Our load management system, which uses adaptive technology to draw on spare power when it’s not being used by the depot’s core functions like conveyor belts, for instance, has enabled more charging capacity at the site without triggering expensive upgrades.”
The pioneering design approach combines both AC and DC charging systems, serving as a model for future projects.
In total JET Charge has provided 49 JET Charge AC Chargemate units equipped with pedestals, all manufactured in Australia; and two 400kW Kempower DC chargers each with eight CCS2 charging satellites for rapid charging.
JET Charge has drawn on over ten years of experience and internal expertise while it helped solve the inevitable challenges that accompany such a ground-breaking process.
Part of that same process has involved troubleshooting, deploying quick-fix patches and working closely with stakeholders to resolve any other issues that have arisen, to ensure the undertaking is as smooth as possible.
A recently announced North Star project for the entire logistics industry is one of the resultant outcomes of this fertile collaboration with Team Global Express, Volvo, Fuso, MTA Energy, Centech, Goodman and many other project stakeholders.
The project aims to illuminate the path forward for freight carriers and transporters to a greener, cleaner future of fleet transformation.
“The Team Global Express depot’s state-of-the-art charging infrastructure doesn’t only improve operational efficiency it also sets a new standard for environmental stewardship in logistics,” Tim says.
“JET Charge’s dedication to conceptual design, energy management, and advanced technological integration has been instrumental in realising this vision. We believe this project will generate many learnings to inform future projects., marking a significant step towards a greener, electric future.”
While the project is currently one-of-a-kind, Alex hopes it won’t stay that way for long, and he – for one – is raring and ready to help create tailored charging solutions for other companies wanting to spearhead the electric transition.
“Now we know what large-scale fleet transition can look like, we can replicate this for other fleet operators, whether they’re after front-to-back commercial charging services, or more specific tailored solutions. This project is first class, and we can’t wait to do it again.”
For fleets presently considering the transition from diesel to electric vehicles, and who might be actively looking to electrify their depot, JET Charge extends an invitation to get in contact.
The team is ready to assist in making a smooth and efficient shift towards an electric future.
The electrification journey begins here jetcharge.com.au.
