Queensland transport operator, All Purpose Transport, is now offering an electric truck solution for Ikea and its other customers, with the introduction of an electric delivery vehicle into the fleet.
The truck was launched in Brisbane at the Royal International Convention Centre by Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey.
“The country needs to see more of a shift towards clean energy in our economy as climate change is something impacting us and it’s great to see All Purpose Transport leading the way here,” said Bailey.
All Purpose Transport is a delivery solutions specialist in Queensland Australia, and has been committed to innovation and continuous improvement, with investment in technology, new services and training.
The truck is a modified Hino 917 with the SEA-Drive 120a power-system that was converted from diesel to electric, and it has a, claimed 200-250km range, four-hour charging rate and a three-and-a-half tonne carrying capacity.
All Purpose Transport has been partnering with IKEA for 10 years and All Purpose Transport General Manager Paul Kahlert said the new electric vehicle would perform up to 15 deliveries a day whilst significantly reducing noise and carbon emissions to residential areas in Brisbane.
All Purpose Transport operates an owner driver model and they have purchased the SEA Hino 917 delivery truck to test the business benefits of running an electric delivery truck and evaluate the positives and negatives. All Purpose Transport plan to offer an electric vehicle leasing scheme as part of a sustainable business model for their owner drivers. The company is aiming for 10 per cent of their Ikea delivery fleet to be all-electric by the end of 2020.
“We led the way with workforce development and now we are leading the way with last mile emission free deliveries,” said Kahlert. “Our goal is to drive social change and focus on helping the environment. We want to be leading the way in Queensland.”
Ikea Australia’s Renea Robson said the launch of the truck was a significant milestone for the company, using the electric truck solution for Ikea as part of their electrical vehicle strategy, which is aiming to have zero emissions for home deliveries by 2025.
“It’s a big commitment to move forward but we can’t do this if we’re not working with like minded companies like All Purpose Transport who want to preserve the planet for future generations,” said Robson.
