Genesis gets its first e-truck

Genesis says its new Fuso eCanter is the first series-produced fully electric truck to hit New Zealand roads, and it’s the first company in the Southern Hemisphere to introduce one into its fleet.

This addition to the company’s truck fleet furthers Genesis’s aim to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and deliver on its responsibilities as a member of The Climate Group’s EV100 initiative.

Genesis LPG and small and medium business general manager Cameron Jardine says the new electric truck is a major step towards Genesis increasing the proportion of electric or hybrid vehicles in its 110-strong truck fleet.

“Transport contributes about 21% of New Zealand’s gross domestic greenhouse gas emissions but until now there have been very few options to reduce emissions from the heavy truck fleet,” Jardine says. 

Genesis has been working with partners Fuso New Zealand, Keith Andrews Trucks, and the TR Group to bring this new electric truck into service and is excited that it will be on the streets of Auckland.

“As this is the first series-produced fully electric truck to hit New Zealand roads we have a lot to learn about how to incorporate electric vehicles into our truck fleet, and what other adjustments we will have to make to get the best out of this new technology,” says Jardine.

“We’re excited by the challenge and the opportunity to apply our experience to help those business customers who may be considering moving to an electric fleet themselves.”

The new electric truck is just one of a range of options Genesis has introduced to reduce its transport emissions.

“Our partnership with Zilch, the electric car-sharing service, has allowed us to remove the last of the petrol/diesel vehicles from our passenger fleet,” says Jardine. 

“And our new Auckland headquarters has no staff carparks, with the company encouraging all staff to use shared transport, public transport and active transport wherever possible.”

Jardine says Genesis is one of about 1000 businesses around the world working with the Science Based Targets initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We have committed to remove at least 1.2 million tonnes of annual carbon emissions from our activities over the next five years, and transport related initiatives will be part of that.”