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tech briefs<br />
SEA launches locally assembled trucks<br />
MELBOURNE-BASED COMPANY<br />
SEA Electric has announced the<br />
commencement of volume commercial<br />
production of electric trucks. SEA states<br />
that the trucks will cost under $14 per<br />
day to charge from the grid, and even<br />
less if depot solar is used.<br />
SEA Electric expects to see company<br />
assembled and badged trucks based on<br />
Hino 500 Series Wide Cab GH, and Hino<br />
300 Series 816 models.<br />
The company is placing its SEA-Drive<br />
battery electric power system into Semi-<br />
Knocked Down (SKD) chassis kits with<br />
a view to seeing retailed them through<br />
SEA Electric dealers. It notes that this is<br />
a progression from retrofitting vehicles<br />
designed for diesel engines, which is<br />
where the local link with Hino began.<br />
The move comes as traditional truck<br />
makers, notably Daimler and Volvo,<br />
are eyeing the Australian commercial<br />
electric-vehicle (EV) market seriously,<br />
along with and pure-electric or hydrogen<br />
fuel-cell players.<br />
“SEA Electric is privileged to be able<br />
to bring this Australian first to the<br />
marketplace,” SEA Electric regional<br />
director for Oceania, Glen Walker, says.<br />
“These trucks truly meet a need in the<br />
marketplace, and prior to this launch,<br />
we have received pre-orders for 46<br />
vehicles from some of Australia’s biggest<br />
companies and councils.<br />
“It represents an exciting phase in<br />
global EV development, and this places<br />
SEA Electric at the forefront.”<br />
Both models offer a range of motor,<br />
battery, chassis and axle configurations.<br />
At the top of the range is the SEA 500-<br />
225, a 6x2 axle configuration, allowing<br />
for a maximum body length of 9,240mm<br />
and a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of<br />
22,500kg.<br />
The SEA 500-225 is available with a<br />
“range-topping” 280kWh battery, with<br />
full details of the SEA-Drive 280 power<br />
system will be released shortly.<br />
The medium-duty SEA 500 is available<br />
in a pair of 4x2 configurations, with a<br />
maximum body length of 8,930mm and<br />
a GVM range between 14 to 17 tonnes.<br />
Drivetrain options include the SEA-<br />
Drive 120-35 and 180-35, which are both<br />
powered by an electric motor producing<br />
maximum torque output of 3,500Nm<br />
and maximum power value of 350kW.<br />
The 120-35 has a battery capacity<br />
of 138kW/h and an un-laden range<br />
of 175km, while the 180-35 features a<br />
battery capacity of 220kW/h, and an<br />
un-laden range of 200km.<br />
The light-duty SEA 300 range is<br />
available in a variety of wheelbase,<br />
payload and body length configurations,<br />
all with a 4x2 axle format, and GVMs<br />
ranging from 4.5 to 8.5 tonnes.<br />
“The SEA 300 range can be ‘specced’ up<br />
with one of three motors,” Walker sys.<br />
“The 700Nm torque and 127kW variant<br />
powers the SEA-Drive 70-7, combined<br />
with its 88kW/h battery it is perfect for<br />
the car licence 4.5-tonne GVM truck.<br />
“Ideal motors for up to 8,500kg GCM<br />
are the midrange 1,000Nm of torque and<br />
108kW of power for the SEA-Drive 100-10.<br />
“If 1,000Nm is not enough, perhaps the<br />
1,500Nm of torque and 125kW of power<br />
from the SEA-Drive 100-15 is more to<br />
your fancy?<br />
“In addition to two motors, the SEA<br />
300-85 is available with two different<br />
batteries, providing capacities of 103kWh<br />
through to 138kWh, which provide for<br />
un-laden ranges from 210 to 300km.”<br />
All SEA-Drive power systems are said<br />
to have an operating temperature range<br />
of -20 degrees C to 50 degrees C, with<br />
empty to full charging times ranging<br />
from approximately five hours for the<br />
SEA-Drive 70, through to 12 hours for the<br />
SEA-Drive 180 iterations.<br />
The standard charging equipment for<br />
all SEA-Drive models features a threephase<br />
32amp on-board charger with<br />
5-pin plug, charging at up to 22kW/h.<br />
“A key feature of this charging<br />
system is its access to the world’s<br />
largest charging network, namely truck<br />
workshop three-phase power,” the<br />
company says.<br />
Optional DC to DC fast-charging<br />
increases the charging rate fourfold to<br />
88kW/h.<br />
”Real world testing of in-service<br />
vehicles that travel up to 1,000<br />
kilometres per week has revealed daily<br />
recharging costs of less than $14 per day<br />
using standard off-peak electricity prices<br />
of 15c per kWh,” the company says, or less<br />
if depot solar is used.<br />
“Future proofed with an upgradeable<br />
plug and play architecture, the SEA-Drive<br />
Power-System can be charged using the<br />
world’s biggest charging network, which<br />
is 415V 3-phase power via the truck’s<br />
standard on-board charging equipment,<br />
with optional DC fast charging also<br />
available.<br />
“The fast charging option enables a<br />
charging rate four times faster than<br />
standard, and offers range extending topups<br />
during lunch hour or vehicle loading.”<br />
Roadside assistance is to be available<br />
through NTI for the life of the warranty<br />
period.<br />
ITALIAN POWER FOR KOREAN TRUCKS<br />
FPT INDUSTRIAL, headquartered in Turin, Italy, has been chosen as the preferred<br />
engine supplier by TATA Daewoo Commercial Vehicles for the launch of the new<br />
‘the CEN’, a semi-medium truck for the domestic South Korean market.<br />
The CEN – whose name means ‘The Strong’ in Korean and ‘Complete, Efficient,<br />
Needs’ for the rest of the world – is powered by an FPT Industrial Euro Dynamics<br />
45 engine. FPT says it was chosen for its unique characteristics in terms of<br />
superior power, torque, torque reserve, overall efficiency and compliance with<br />
emission rules exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)-free.<br />
Launched in 3, 4 and 5 tonne versions, the CEN features an eight-speed<br />
automatic gearbox in the segment, fully pneumatic brakes, pneumatic<br />
suspension seats and LED DRL.<br />
Available in two versions with 186 or 206hp (139 or 154kW), the FPT Industrial<br />
Euro Dynamics (ED) 45 engine is a member of the NEF engine family, sold<br />
worldwide for all kind of applications – on road, off-road and marine – in<br />
about 100,000 units per year.<br />
FPT states that the ED 45 delivers up to 21 per cent more power and torque<br />
up to 23 per cent higher versus competition in South Korea. Its HI-eSCR aftertreatment-system<br />
is said to be EGR-free.<br />
Stated benefits include better breathability (the engine breaths fresh air<br />
only, instead of very hot and dirty recirculated gas), optimised packaging<br />
and installation (being EGR-free the cooling circuit is smaller and easier to<br />
accommodate), higher reliability (the whole cooling circuit operates at lower<br />
temperatures), and up to 150,000km DPF service intervals due to passive<br />
regeneration.<br />
82 APRIL 2021 ownerdriver.com.au