Newsletter
Our robotic battery swap station has arrived and is being commissioned at our Penrose site. Thanks to EECA for their support.
The swap function, just using a remote until we get the robot set up is here:
https://youtu.be/aV-v85ZVIRM
It will be available to deploy with your choice of XCMG battery swap trucks and equipment.
We now have permission to tow trailers with the first Windrose in New Zealand. You may have seen us out and about over the last few weeks.
A video heading south past Lake Taupo at 35t GCM
https://youtu.be/o7dwfl0PA_g
Climbing out of Taihape on a 5 degree slope in “Eco” mode at 58kph using 47% of the available power. Regeneration going down this slope was a steady 200kW at 80kph
https://youtu.be/sJ-9pMh6uvk
Our first XC975PHEV hybrid loader is exceeding expectations at work with Gareth White logging in the Kaiangoroa Forest. To date fuel burn has been under 7l per hour. The diesel loader it replaced was north of 20l per hour.
https://youtu.be/1qwf7yaA_8E
Handover day for Green Gorilla’s second XC968EV, this time at their GRP Rotowaro site.
Handover day of RFH’s XC975EV loader for RFH at Timberlands KPP.
All these XCMG EV loaders are a generation ahead of the competition with their “three-motor, no gearbox” transmission system that lowers power consumption by 11%, and eliminates gearbox maintenance.
https://youtu.be/tWaeKk4y05o
The next waste guarded XC938EV for NZ nearly ready to ship.
A couple more LC9 tracked scissors going out to Matt Gibson Builders.
A delivery ceremony for some XC968EV wheel loaders to a steel mill in northern China. This brings their XCMG EV loader fleet to around 100 units.
Another XC968EV wheel loader delivery in China, this time in combination with some XE600EM, 60t tethered excavators.
Newsletter
The next Windrose demonstrator headed for New Zealand is nearly out of the shed.
Etrucks® has booked some build slots for the first batch of Windrose for New Zealand. With a confirmed order in the next few weeks we can have your truck delivered in February 2026.
We can also offer a smaller battery version with 352kWh for around 300km duration. The tare drops to 9850kg and the price is also lower by $30k.
We took the Windrose for another road trip to the TMC truck show in Christchurch. Going South through the Lewis and back up the Kaikuora coast. Our duration with no load is similar to the China data at 1000km.
We hope to have an our exemption permit extended to allow towing in New Zealand in the next week or so.
There are now 268 XCMG XC968EVs that have clocked over 20,000 hours in China. Average battery degradation is only 6% in that time.
With this real world data:
- there is no need to budget for a replacement battery in the working life of a wheel loader
- motor rebuilds or failures are vanishingly unlikely on EV loaders
- there is no transmission to fail on the XC968EV with XCMGs unique three motor arrangement.
The TCO is now clearly less than any diesel equivalent, given the much cheaper energy and maintenance costs.
Heavy EV truck sales had a great start to 2025 in China with 7065 sold in January, up 96% year on year. No surprises that XCMG led the way with 1223. There were 34 heavy hydrogen fuel cell trucks sold in the same period.
I saw quite a number of the XCMG E700s out working in China.
https://youtu.be/LLJlZDpqXts
You may have seen the stunning Farizon Supervans have been released in Australia. Give us a call if you want some in New Zealand.
White Logging’s diesel electric hybrid loader getting ready for work in Tokoroa.
While every other large EV loader manufacturer uses a transmission to get enough push, XCMG does not and relies on their unique three motor design. Check out this 20t XC968EV climbing a 58% ramp with a 5t test weight in the bucket.
https://youtu.be/AfSe__-CXaA
XCMG now have a complete line of material handlers from 23t to 120t.
The range includes several dual fuel, diesel and tethered electric models. The dual fuel can happily work on diesel when no tethered power is available.
A Mantall XE100W and XE80N combo going out to Perfect Air with one of our tandem trailers. We have a selection of wheeled and tracked scissors in stock if you need some quickly.
Our 2018 E300 demo truck is available for sale. Complete with 95kWh battery and under 1000km on the clock, $25,000 + GST ex Penrose.
Newsletter
Hon Simon Watts, recently named Minister for Energy to combine with his Minister for Climate Change role, visited Etrucks last week.
His take on where the Windrose fits in New Zealand is here;
https://youtube.com/shorts/ZxIFFkoIih4?feature=share
We will be bringing the Windrose to the TMC Trucking Industry show in Christchurch March 7th and 8th. We will show the truck in Wellington, and tour the South Island before and after the show if you would like to view.
We have been doing the exhibition rounds recently, thanks to Visy for the space at the Bombay Truck Show.
We also participated in the Kamo Touch a Truck fundraiser. Perhaps the first truck convoy with a Windrose, the excitement is building….
https://youtu.be/dwIvPFfgXsw
It’s pretty cool that the same truck (yep same VIN) has been displayed in both Times Square and Kamo.
As we show the Windrose interested companies we take the opportunity to hook up to one of their trailers.
Hilton Haulage’s E700 looking smart in their colours. XCMG remains the dominant player in heavy electric trucks in China, with over 7000 delivered last year. 13% of all truck sales in China are now EV.
Another round of EECA LETF funding is now open for on and off highway low emissions equipment.
The link is here:
https://lnkd.in/g28RAz6v
Green Gorilla’s second waste guarded XC968EV has arrived. Fitted with a 6m3 bucket and solid tyres, this one will work in Huntly.
Delivery day for New Zealand’s first plug in hybrid EV loader to Gareth White Logging. The 23t XC975PHEV is fitted with HW log forks. It has a 100kW onboard generator to charge the 54kWh battery. An excellent solution for lowering emissions where no reticulated power is available.
RFH’s pure electric XC975EV (the same size) heading out to work.
Handover day to United Civil for a 200kWh charging trailer and XE35U-E electric excavator in Whangarei.
A link to a very good video from Meridian and United Civil discussing their focus on EV construction equipment in their decarbonisation efforts.
https://youtu.be/wAPlZdgQjOo
Another LW180K going out to repeat customer David Anderson of Kamai Pastures. We will add an HW high dump bucket when it arrives.
Our next shipment of LC9 tracked scissors have arrived. Looking funky with high-viz, non-marking track pads.
Newsletter
We hope you enjoyed a great holiday season.
We will be showing the Windrose at the Transfleet Trailers/Allied Petroleum Bombay Truck Show on the 18th of January at the Bombay Rugby Club. Thanks to Visy Global Logistics NZ for offering space in their display.
We took the Windrose for a bit of a tour down to Wellington via Mt Maunganui and back to Auckland via New Plymouth and the Mount again. We travelled 1689km using 1232kWh to give range on a charge (unloaded) of 998km. Windrose offer a 1000km duration unloaded in their advertising. For a run that included the Kaimais three times, Transmission Gully twice, the Desert Rd and Mt Messenger we are pretty happy with the result.
We took the opportunity to charge at the impressive Z Energy Waiwhakaiho drive through station. 590kW in one session may be a New Zealand record.
Let us know if you would like us to bring the Windrose to your base to view.
It seems two trailer on-highway testing will start soon in Australia.
An Ecotricity video of Gavin Shoebridge and me going for a drive in the Windrose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnmuu9aXH3g
So far we have only driven the Windrose in “eco” or “normal” modes. One day we will find a reason to try the “power” setting. Maybe in an acceleration trial against a diesel truck as in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEG0Agf3tPo
Autonomous last mile delivery trucks are now out testing in China. This is a Zelos Z8 with 210km duration and 1500kg payload. The local China price is around NZD22,000
A short video is here:
https://youtube.com/shorts/SLN-ROR0HSI
Our last delivery for 2024 was an XE80N to Simply Cremations in Te Rapa.
We have to thank our suppliers for their ongoing support. In New Zealand for staff training and technical help Mr Su from Windrose, Jason from Mantall and Gao Chao from XCMG.
Newsletter
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year from the team at Etrucks® and Landex. We hope you enjoy these updates and look forward to working with you in 2024.
Our Windrose demonstrator has arrived and will be out on New Zealand roads over the coming months.
The start up procedure for the Windrose is here:
https://youtu.be/2TE9a1yWKfU
The first production units are now in service with Kerry Logistics on the Beijing to Shanghai route.
The first multi unit order for the Windrose in New Zealand gets one of the scale models. Perhaps under the Christmas tree for that young EV enthusiast?
What do we have coming up in 2025?
Our focus remains on low emissions transport and construction equipment.
We will import our first 6t electric excavator and probably also a 21t unit.
Our first Qingling “ultralight” EVM100 class one truck will arrive with a 120kWh battery and Bosch integrated drive axle.
Our robotic battery swap station will be set up in our Penrose facility.
Perhaps we will see a 16t XCMG BEV forklift with joystick control in NZ.
There will be more electric loaders arriving in New Zealand. The fully electric loader range will include more models, soon even this 120t will be fully BEV
We plan to release towable cherry pickers in 2025. Dual fuel with 14m working height starting under $60k + GST
46kV insulated spider units will also be available.
Newsletter
The Windrose demo truck will arrive in New Zealand at the end of next week. Some pictures from testing in Australia. Let us know if you would like to view.
We can now offer the Qingling EVC61 8×4 with the remarkable CATL Qiji 513kWh battery and Bosch integrated drive axles. This is the diesel version.
Dominating the Bauma Shanghai exhibition last week was XCMG’s 4000t rated wind farm crane.
XCMG announced their largest electric mining equipment order of USD400 million with Australia’s Fortescue Group.
The key EV breakthrough released at Bauma was 400kWh BYD swap batteries that are interchangeable between various construction machines, and trucks.
Their truck crane mounted battery swap solution to get the energy out on site.
XCMG’s 26t hybrid roller with electric drive and vibration
Let me know if you would like XCMG’s full list of EV solutions at Bauma.
A video of XCMG’s autonomous rollers working along to XCMG’s new song.
https://youtu.be/0lkBMXEQJHU
XCMG’s 18t hydraulic drive dozer, now available with a PAT blade.
XCMG’s stabilizers have had a big upgrade. The 4WD, 750hp Cummins powered machine now features side shifting cabin and EROPs.
Our next waste guarded XC968EV is nearly completed at the factory, just waiting for the solid tyres. This clients third EV loader is now in build.
The first XC975HEV hybrid log loader is now completed for New Zealand. A great solution for any any off grid site
An XC938 ready to deliver to the MacKenzie Family Partnership’s high output dairy farming enterprise in Matamata.
Jason Morgan from Whangarei Construction and roofing picking up his new XE80CTOR tracked scissor
Brad Symes of Bee Boat Builders in Whangarei picking up his LC9 tracked scissor
Andy of KY Yans Property in Rosedale picking up their new XE80N
