January 14th 2025

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.

Christmas 2024 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.

December 3rd 2024

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

October 30th 2024

Our first ever (and perhaps the first ever) electric truck for Fiji is ready to ship to ZAR Logistics. The E400 has an Elite curtain sider with standout graphics

A shout out to Blackhead Quarries for sending out their XC968EV to clear a slip during the recent bad weather in Dunedin. Perhaps the first civil defence response using EV equipment in New Zealand? Thanks to TV One for the pic.

A number of our customers will travel to the Bauma Shanghai exhibition, November 26th to 29th. With visa free entry for New Zealanders it is now much easier to visit the worlds third largest machinery exhibition. Let me know if you would like to meet on the XCMG stand.

The Windrose demo truck is now doing the rounds in Australia, seen here driving Melbourne to Sydney. Today it is running Sydney to Canberra (return) with a trailer. The demo unit will arrive in New Zealand in December.

Testing in Denmark, this 34m combination achieved 590km at 64t gross without top up charging. Denmark is pretty flat, but still a nice result with that many axles.
A short video is here.
https://youtu.be/RkYYtoeLD40

An in depth video (14 minutes) by Clean Trucking featuring Windrose advisor Jason Roycht explaining the design choices used on the E1400
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrSoQl8tLuw

The Windrose at a public charging facility with 400kW input on each side.

 

I was back at Qingling last week viewing their fuel cell trucks. These are part of a 70 unit order for Tianjin

Plenty of ultralight EVM100s in stock including one on snow tyres for Canada.

We can also offer these 15t cab chassis with electric drive (this one is diesel)

Also available in 4WD if you prefer.

I was invited to go for a ride in an L4 autonomous semi with a 40′ trailer. Feet off the pedals, hands on your knees, and off you go on public roads.

A short video of a turn is here
https://youtu.be/eZlNdsmUzIw

Etrucks also displayed at the EMobility Summit in Auckland in October.

Its time to move on our 2018 E300 demo truck. Complete with a 95kWh battery and under 1000km on the clock, $45,000 + GST ex Penrose.

Delivery day of Mainfert’s new XC948 in Timaru

Stephen Parkinson of Freightsafe in Epsom picking up an XCMG mini tracked scissor lift.

An XE80N on tandem trailer heading out to Aotea National Leasing in Christchurch

We can now offer the top tethered XE215EM material handler.

On a larger scale XCMGs 100t class port material handler is now available.
The video is here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx9uHV3zogA

September 3rd 2024

I was in Hefei recently for some more Windrose testing. We used 109kWh of battery to travel 104km on the test track at a steady 80kph loaded to 49t gross. That is 1.05kWh/km, which indicates a duration of 624km with 10% battery remaining. Very impressive.

Yep we were loaded, not that you noticed much with 1400hp available. The truck on the right is the demo unit on it’s way to New Zealand.

Windrose will exhibit at IAA in Hannover, hall 12, stand B71. Etrucks® will be on site on the 19th and the 20th of September. Let me know if you would like to meet at the stand to check out the truck, or book a test drive.

Customer tests are also continuing including a Shanghai to Nanjing round trip for Rittal

A video of a previous test with Kerry Logistics.
https://youtu.be/T1k2628fAFA

Our revamped website is up and running. Quite a few new products are listed.
https://etrucks.co.nz/

We managed to get the Landex and Etrucks® team together, not so easy with so much going on .

Handover day for Isaac Construction’s XC968EV wheel loader at their state of the art asphalt plant in Christchurch.
16% of all wheel loaders sold in China in July were electric. Electric wheel loaders are expected to exceed diesel wheel loader sales as soon as 2027.

And charging up the loader out on site with Isaac’s dual gun 200kWh battery trailer charger.

Gavin Shoebridge’s Ecotricity video chatting with Noel De Bruin about the charging trailer, the XCMG electric digger and E400 is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPj34hVIngk

Handover day for Bullocks Concrete and Gravel XC968EV loader, at their aggregates facility in Bulls.
There are now 50 units of this model that have clocked over 20,000 hours.

For grid limited sites we can now offer the 22.5t XCMG XC975 PHEV wheel loader. You can save 30% in diesel use compared to a conventional loader, even more if you have the ability to charge it often.

A video of it in electric drive mode is here.
https://youtu.be/rkvWrcCW2lc

XCMG/Schwing have reduced the weight of the E700 8×4 mixer truck by a remarkable 3,300kg. They are now only 12,000kg ready to go with a 6cbm electric drive bowl.

The rubber suspension and the electric mixer bowl drive.

A video of 100 or so units lined up in the stock yard.
https://youtu.be/VBSl7qwKnXs

Some more highway testing, this time a hydrogen fuel cell truck in Chongqing last week.

Farizon has now delivered 300,000 new energy commercial vehicles powered by batteries, methanol or hydrogen. Unfortunately the G3 pictured, won’t be offered in RHD for a few years.

The 700kWh battery in the 35t XC9108EV, currently the largest battery electric wheel loader available to order from XCMG.

A video of the XC9108EV is here
https://youtu.be/Qxbd2cTtiuk

A line up of XCMGs EV equipment at a recent exhibition.

Our two latest TF1300 mini telehandlers have arrived and are ready to deliver to the Kennedy Family in Auckland, and Andrew Walters in Fielding

A Mantall XE120W heading out to Jetflight Air Services in Auckland.

Congratulations to XCMG on the roll out of their solar arrays across their factories in Xuzhou. This is one of the buildings at the road machinery factory.

 

23% of XCMGs total energy use now comes from solar and 26% of their revenue from the renewables sector

I guess it’s a backhoe with a turntable? Conventional backhoes are quite good loaders but not so great as a digger, this one is the other way around.

August 1st 2024

Applications are now open for round 14 of the Low Emission Transport Fund. A great opportunity to receive up to 50% funding for innovative uses of zero emissions trucks and equipment, on and off highway.
The link is here:
https://www.eeca.govt.nz/co-funding-and-support/products/letf-vehicles-technology-off-road-and-marine/
It’s nice to see Leach and Co’s XC968EV loader at the Southern Landfill as the picture on the announcement page. Contact us for details of our range of on and off highway EVs to meet your use case.

Our 200kWh charging trailers have arrived, seen here charging an excavator and loader at the same time. These trailers are the key to getting the most out of your EV machines at any grid limited site.

They can also be used as a virtually silent and emission free generator via a range of AC outlets.

Come and see the trailer charging a range of EV trucks at Eroads Fleet day at Mystery Creek next Wednesday the 7th of August.

 

Windrose are now testing with AP Moller/Maersk and Kerry Logistics in China. The demonstration unit for New Zealand will arrive in early October.

The drivers will love the center line cabin, as well as the 1400hp available….

Kerry Logistics recently ran from Jinan to Nanjing, and achieved 677km at 49t

We have ordered our first EVM100 “ultralight” class one truck. Featuring a 100kWh CATL centerline battery and 140kW Bosch integrated drive axle they have a remarkably low tare weight of 2350kg. The low weight means durations of over 250km are easily achieved.

A concept drawing of a proposed ultralight EV 6mconcrete mixer truck. The tare is a remarkable 12,000kg, more or less the same as a diesel equivalent.

XCMGs latest 3t EV skid steer with a 38kWh battery for 6 hour run time.

The XE270E is now available for export with dual gun CCS2 charging.

Grant McKay of McKay Projects in Tauriko picking up his LC10 tracked scissor.

A couple of XE80Ns heading south to Petone Engineering. We can now offer 24 months parts and labour warranty on all Mantall products.