Queensland energy minister hails state first for such an EV
Queensland energy, renewables and hydrogen minister Mick de Brenni was deep in his portfolio element at the Brisbane Truck Show with the debut of an SEA Electric bucket crane truck for state owned power firm Energex.
The 15.5 tonne mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) is based at Energex’s Stafford depot and will be aimed at storm recovery and network maintenance tasks in Brisbane’s north.
In comments at the event, de Brenni views such moves as helping advance electric vehicle (EV) progress locally.
“Our Energex crews work around the clock to keep Queenslanders safe and connected and are some of the first on the frontline when storms strike,” de Brenni says.
“The arrival of the MEWP puts them on the forefront of technology in the heavy transport space, with this electric motor producing up to 2,500nm of torque.
“A 138kWh battery pack sits where fuel and air tanks traditionally would, saving around 30 tonnes of diesel emissions each year.
“With more Queenslanders getting behind the wheel of electric cars, heavy transport is the next logical step in our efforts to decarbonise.”
Read about SEA’s international expansion progress, here
Energex CEO Rod Duke sees the new addition to the company’s fleet as an exciting insight into the future of EVs in Queensland.
“While we’ve had electric and hybrid cars in the fleet for many years, this truck is the first of its kind for us and we’re looking forward to putting it through its paces,” Duke says.
“It’s a real game-changer for our emergency response in a number of ways and has a range of 200km once fully charged, which will obviously have benefits in terms of reduced carbon emissions.
“Additionally, significantly reduced noise levels make the crew’s essential work activity less intrusive for the community, particularly in times of storm and emergency response, which often occur at night.”