The Warehouse Group introduces EV trucks for home deliveries

The Warehouse Group is expanding its electric vehicle fleet to include custom EV trucks to service home deliveries.

Customer deliveries for whiteware, general appliances and larger items located in a 220km roundtrip radius from the distribution centres in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Christchurch will be delivered using the EV trucks from April 2021.

The acquisition of the EV trucks is an investment in the Group's ongoing transition to EV, which is an integral part of supporting the country's efforts to decarbonise our economy.

The Warehouse Group Chief Sustainability Officer, David Benattar says the rollout of the EV trucks is an exciting new step in the Group's continued progress in decarbonising its operations and forms part of its broader set of sustainability commitments.

"Moving goods to our customers is an essential part of our operations, and decarbonising our transport and logistics is one of our business priorities."

“As one of New Zealand’s largest retailers, we recognise that we have a crucial role to play, but we cannot do it alone. The deployment of decarbonisation solutions requires collaboration between a wide group of stakeholders to make them economically viable and operationally successful. The introduction of our EV truck fleet is a perfect demonstration of what can be achieved with partner collaboration”, says Benattar.

The Warehouse Group's acquisition of the EV trucks was part-funded by the government's Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund, administered by EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority).

EECA Transport Portfolio Manager Richard Briggs said that heavy vehicles have a disproportionate carbon footprint, so investing in electric really pays off.

"Right now, there are only a little over 200 heavy EVs registered in New Zealand, so we're pleased to support organisations like The Warehouse Group who are taking a leadership role in the sector and encouraging others to electrify their own fleets."

Currently, 59% of the Group's passenger fleet is EV, with plans to transition 100% to electric within 24 months.