Latest transport funding invests in clean marine and off-road vehicles

Energy and Resources

A range of new projects are showing what's possible when it comes to low emission off-road vehicles and water-borne vessels, as part of a new round of Government funding announced today.

Energy and Resources Minister Hon Dr Megan Woods has confirmed 19 innovative transport projects, including the country’s first electric 90-tonne dump truck, a road construction crew using zero-emissions equipment, and an electric hydrofoil ferry.

“Whilst electric cars are taking off, a significant amount of fossil fuels are used in marine and off-road settings and are seen as areas that are harder to decarbonise”, Woods said.

“These projects will prove the potential of electrification and other low-emissions technology. This kind of backing de-risks projects like these so there is more and faster uptake of similar technology.”

The 19 projects are from two Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF) rounds covering the maritime sector, as well as off-road equipment and technology. A total of $6.4 million in Government funding will leverage $18.2 million in applicant investment.

“Each year, the maritime and off-road sectors together use an estimated 1.6 billion litres of petrol and diesel accounting for around 13 percent of our total energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.

“Reducing emissions in these areas is vital, not just to meet our emissions targets and tackle climate change, but we’ll also reap significant co-benefits, especially in the marine sector. Our oceans, lakes and rivers are taonga, so everything we do to reduce pollution on the water will let us continue to enjoy it with minimal harm,” Woods said.

Notes for editors:

About the LETF

The Low Emission Transport Fund, administered by EECA, supports the demonstration and adoption of low-emission transport technology, innovation and infrastructure to accelerate the decarbonisation of the New Zealand transport sector.

The Fund will focus on activities in the transport sector that move people and/or goods on roads, off-road, and in the marine and aviation sectors to:

  • Demonstrate innovative solutions that will enable future adoption and deployment

    Reduce energy related emissions in the transport sector
  • Address market and organisational barriers through co-investment and diffusion of new knowledge and lessons, and
  • Share knowledge and lessons to stimulate wider replication of successful projects and solutions in the transport sector.

Wider transport systems and activities (such as building roads, urban design, mode shift policy) are excluded.

Each round of the LETF, will provide co-funding to a particular area of interest (unlike the previous LEVCF, in which each round welcomed the full range of applications). An announcement will be made in advance of each funding round advising which areas of

interest will be included.

FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THE LOW EMISSION TRANSPORT FUND

Round 7 (vehicles, technology and off-road) recipients

Off-road

Recipient Co-funding Project description
Firth Industries $137,000 Firth Industries will be trialing an electric wheel loader for use in the manufacturing of concrete.
Reliance Transport Ltd $500,000 Reliance Transport will purchase and operate a Reachstacker and 16-tonne Forkhoists.  They will also install a microgrid to enable a 350 kW charger.
TDX Limited $498,625 TDX will demonstrate three electric wheel loaders including one pre-production Volvo 20-tonne electric wheel loader.
Fletcher Concrete and Infrastructure Limited $499,500

Winstone Aggregates will be the first quarry in New Zealand to pilot a 90-tonne electric dump truck in Belmont Quarry.

This project will pilot the application of the largest available class of heavy electric vehicles in the New Zealand extractive industries.

Leach & Co Limited $104,000 Leach & Co will replace a diesel-powered wheel loader with an electric XC968EV 19,850 kg wheel loader in Southern landfill operations.
Brian Perry Civil Limited $432,855 Brian Perry Civil (BPC) will create a zero emission construction crew to support their ambitious goal of 30% carbon reduction by 2030 and to inspire the wider industry to aim high. BPC will use an electric excavator, tipper and wheel loader and install 60kW and 90kW chargers.
Technology
ChargeNet NZ Limited $500,000

ChargeNet, Openloop and Z are working together on a proof of concept for roaming capability between their public EV charging networks.

This is a trial enabling EV owners to use different charging networks from one account.

Vehicles
Red Phase Technologies Limited $500,000 Red Phase Technologies will trial a grid integrated, grid supporting Battery Electric Storage System (BESS) integrated with 4 ultra-fast chargers. The project plans to prove the potential of BESS to enable fast deployment of the charging stations by minimising grid upgrades.
Outback New Zealand Ltd t/a Nomad Safaris/Info & Track/Info & Snow $217,125 Info & Track/Snow will replace one of its diesel 25-seat coaches with an electric 25-seat coach for visitor transport to the Routeburn Trailhead in the summer and Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski fields in the winter.
Fruehauf NZ Limited $200,000 Fruehauf NZ want to demonstrate a Model Schmitz Cargobull 13.5m refrigerated electric trailer technology for the transport of food and chilled goods to the NZ Transport Operators.
Isaac Construction Limited $285,500 Isaac Construction plan to implement the first electrified road crew in New Zealand. This project will test the viability of current battery electric technology in the construction industry

Round 8 (maritime) recipients

Recipient Co-funding Project description
Naut Limited $498,000 Naut Limited will demonstrate a mass manufacturable 150 HP electric outboard propulsion system on a 7m vessel.
Real Journeys ltd T/A Realnz $240,000 Real Journeys Ltd T/A Realnz will electrify 2 tender craft used for an overnight boat. One is co-funded by EECA and the other is fully funded by Real Journeys T/A Realnz.
Seachange New Zealand Limited $500,000 Seachange and Fullers 360 will demonstrate a next-generation, zero emission electric hydrofoiling passenger vessel to transport passengers across the Hauraki Gulf.
Evocean Electric Power & Propulsion $39,850 Evocean Electric Power & Propulsion will design and build an electric vessel for use as marina security and work boat.
EV Maritime Limited $200,508 EV Maritime will build an intelligence platform to harness insights from data onboard its vessels. It is designed to increase operational efficiency and resilience in electric ferries.
CentrePort Limited $500,000

CentrePort is working with StraitNZ to reduce transport emissions, by enabling shore-based power to ferries moored at King’s Wharf. A shore-based power supply will allow StraitNZ ferries to turn their diesel engines and generators off while in berth in Wellington and still maintain power to their onboard systems. The benefits of this initiative include reduced carbon emissions and better air quality.

CentrePort provides the wharves and infrastructure that Cook Strait ferries use in Wellington. Equipment enabling shore power for StraitNZ ferries will be installed at King’s Wharf and in the nearby electrical network to support the additional load on the grid.

Providing shore-based power for StraitNZ ferries is part of CentrePort’s wider programme to reduce emissions in the New Zealand supply chain and be a carbon-zero port by 2040.

Next Generation Boats Limited $300,000 Next Generation Boats Limited will bring an electric hydrofoiling boat (Candela C-8) and use it as a technology demonstrator for NZ businesses involved in tourism (tourist sightseeing boat) and marine transport (water taxi, light ferry).
Electric Wave Ltd $267,000 Electric Wave Ltd will install electric marine charging infrastructure, demonstrating the viability of electric marine vessels with large power requirements and establishing marine side electric charging capability.