SEA Electric builds momentum

Australian automotive electric technology company SEA Electric is set to exhibit at California’s Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) expo this month.

The company has taken a number of vehicle orders from the recent Work Truck Show in Indianapolis that will soon be deployed to cities including Detroit, Philadelphia, New York City and San Francisco.

SEA Electric will use the ACT expo, from April 24 to 25, to display its electric-powered Ford F-59 stripped chassis along with a fully electric Isuzu NRR.

The display Ford F-59 is powered by the SEA-Drive 120b power-system which produces 150kW of continuous power and 250kW of maximum power, including continuous torque of 1230Nm and a maximum torque figure of 2500Nm.

The second of the display trucks is an Isuzu NRR that also features the SEA-Drive 120b power-system.

Both vehicles have operating ranges of up to 350km.

SEA Electric also has a Ford Transit van programme underway which will enter trials this year.

This van features the SEA-Drive 70 power-system which provides continuous power of 75kW, maximum power of 134kW and 700Nm of maximum torque for an operating range of up to 300km.

Batteries for all three vehicles can be fully charged overnight in four to six hours using a 22kW on-board charger, which allows them to be plugged-in and charged from any three-phase power source.

SEA Electric managing director Tony Fairweather says the company’s vehicles have had a great response.

“Feedback in the United States to our SEA Electric technology from both government and private buyers has been extremely positive with several customers already placing orders,” he says.

Fairweather says that the SEA-Drive powered vehicles were ideal for urban and metropolitan back-to-base distribution applications.

“For back-to-base operations EV technology is extremely attractive because at the end of the working day, these vehicles are conveniently charged, off-peak, overnight and ready to go again the next morning.

“Operators can also expect a payback period of less than four years, without incentives, on their SEA-Drive powered truck or van, so with a battery lifecycle of up to 10 years, there are great efficiencies to be gained over the whole life of the vehicle,” Fairweather says.

Earlier this year, SEA Electric established its US company in Los Angeles and appointed its first US-based employees to guide its new products and future projects through US certification and distribution.

In Australia, is leading the way in commercial EV technology, supplying power-systems to many leading OEMs and large operators. The company also manufactures its own completely built up van, light commuter bus and truck products.