Australia’s first mass-made electric trucks go into production

The Driven

SEA Electric has announced the launch of volume production of its first locally-assembled electric trucks, the SEA 300 and SEA 500.

In an announcement on Wednesday, the Melbourne-based electric truck company outlined the range of specifications for the trucks which are the first it is manufacturing from a base “knock-down” kit.

Previously, the eight-year old company has constructed electric trucks for custom applications for customers both in Australia and overseas by retrofitting its patented electric SEA drivetrain to diesel trucks.

Now, it is making the SEA-branded SEA 300 and SEA 500 (which are based on the Hino 300 and 500 series) from new using Hino SKD (Semi Knocked Down) kits, and will sell them through 15 dealerships throughout Australia.

“SEA Electric is privileged to be able to bring this Australian first to the marketplace,” said Glen Walker, SEA Electric regional director for Oceania in a statement.

“It represents an exciting phase in global EV development, and this places SEA Electric at the forefront.”

The SEA electric truck range is available in a variety of specifications with a maximum 280kWh battery capacity. This is available on the SEA 500-225 which offers a 6×2 axle configuration, maximum length of 9.24 metres and gross mass of 22.5 tonnes.

Driving range also varies depending on configurations but starts at 200km to a top of 300km, unladen, depending on which drivetrain is fitted.

While pricing will be determined by configuration options and application, a Walker said in a note by email to The Driven that expected payback time is four to five years thanks to the lower cost of ownership.

He also says that SEA Electric has already taken 46 orders for its SEA 300 and SEA 500, which can be customised to fit a range of applications including tippers, garbage trucks, cherry pickers and more.

To read the full story, please go to our EV-focused sister site, The Driven, and click here.