Global electric fleet and battery storage specialist Zenobē has developed an innovative truck financing model in Australia, with a view to introducing it to the UK and other markets in the future.
Woolworths, Australia’s largest supermarket chain, will be the first customer of Zenobē’s new truck-specific ‘Electric Vehicle as a Service’ (EVaaS) model as part of a $19 million (AU) charging hub and electric vehicle scheme. The project will support 60 fully electric trucks leased to Woolworths and the development of an off-site multi-user charging facility that will have capacity to accommodate additional BEV trucks from other customers.
Fleet electrification can present significant operational and financial uncertainties such as securing sufficient power, installing and maintaining charging infrastructure, replacing batteries and keeping services reliable and efficient. Zenobē’s EVaaS offer finances and delivers each of these elements, including the long-term operation and maintenance of the infrastructure, removing risk for its customers for a monthly fee.
Traditionally, diesel vehicle manufacturers would provide the vehicle and tie in a Repair and Maintain (R&M) contract, inflating the leasing fee to cover this cost. Under this new as-a-service model, operators like Woolworths will enjoy the freedom to select repair and maintenance routines for their electric fleet without being tied into an R&M contract with the original manufacturer.
As well as delivering Australia’s first EVaaS offer for the truck market, Zenobē will design, install, operate and maintain an offsite charging hub. The site will be built with energy optimisation at its core, including 22 dual port chargers integrated with Zenobē’s smart charging software and a battery made from repurposed EV batteries. By removing the need for individual infrastructure and overcoming local grid constraints, the site makes switching to electric vehicles simpler and lower cost.
Zenobē has already introduced the concept of shared charging infrastructure within the bus and coach sector in the UK. Its successful application for £41.7million of ScotZEB 2 funding includes a commitment from the consortium of bus and coach operators to open up their new charging infrastructure to third party fleet operators including heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and enhance electric transport connectivity across Scotland.
Nicholas Beatty, Founder and Director, Zenobē said: “The EVaaS model means that retailers like Woolworths can focus on their core business, while we design, finance, build and operate the infrastructure that delivers on their sustainability ambitions, without the risk.
“While the UK transport sector has made great progress in recent years on decarbonisation, this hasn’t yet translated to trucks and haulage at the scale that is required. Zenobē has a strong track record of working with governments and partners across the globe to deliver transport decarbonisation projects that maximise green investment – and this new model would go a long way to boosting the UK’s efforts to reduce emissions.”
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) provided Zenobē with a grant of $8.5 million (AU), with Zenobē providing additional funding to finance the vehicles and infrastructure.