Australian logistics company Centurion has added its first 20 battery-electric trucks from Daimler Truck to its fleet. The freight provider previously received 15.8 million AUD (€9.26m) in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to purchase the electric trucks and corresponding infrastructure.
The trucks are Mercedes-Benz eActros 300s, delivered in partnership with Daimler Truck. Centurion says they will serve customers on metro routes across Perth in Western Australia, with the goal of lowering overall emissions for the company.
Powered by off-grid solar-power and battery storage, the trucks will benefit from dedicated energy infrastructure at the firm’s Hazelmere depot. Their introduction comes after the Australian Renewable Energy Agency awarded 15.8m AUD (€9.26m) to Centurion last year, as part of a drive to add 30 electric trucks to its fleet and install 15 dedicated chargers.
“The introduction of 20 electric trucks is an important milestone in Centurion’s sustainability journey,” said Centurion CEO Justin Cardaci. “Partnering with Daimler has allowed us to bring world-class electric transport technology into our operations, reinforcing our commitment to reducing emissions while continuing to deliver reliable service to our customers.”
Centurion is one of Australia’s largest independent logistics providers, and offers freight services to a number of industries including mining and retail.
The eActros is becoming an increasingly popular electric truck for logistics firms. The heavy-duty electric truck from Daimler Truck has three battery packs, each with 112 kWh, i.e. 336 kWh in total. According to the German manufacturer, this should ensure a range of up to 300 kilometres with an average load.
