SEA Electric and MEVCO sign MoU to electrify 8,500 Toyota models

A Toyota Hilux pickup, electrified by SEA Electric. Image: SEA Electric

SEA Electric has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MEVCO, a leading systems integrator providing end-to-end service including electric light commercial vehicles and associated infrastructure within the mining industry.

8,500 electrified Toyota Hilux and Landcrusier models will be manufactured for the mining industry, with MEVCO committing to a five year deal with SEA Electric, in a deal worth close to AU$1 billion.

Mining companies have long seen the benefits of battery electric vehicles; predominantly in the form of vastly lower operating costs and increased reliability. Many new mines are also adding renewable energy, like this 34MW solar farm designed to reduce Rio Tinto’s costs - and in a small part - its emissions.

The deal is based around SEA’s medium-voltage SEA-Drive power system, which is light, cost-effective and simple, thanks to its lack of a requirement for an active thermal management system.

Available in various mining-specific designs for 4×4 and 4×2 configurations, the vehicles can be specified with two SEA-Drive options - an 88kWh battery with a quoted 380km (236mi) of range, or a 60kWh battery delivering up to 260km (160mi) of range. The system offers fast DC charging, topping up the battery from 10-80% in less an 60 minutes.

SEA Electric’s Toyota Hilux specifications. Screenshot - mevco.com

According to MEVCO CEO Matt Cahir, “This is a pivotal partnership for the mining industry…It enables the world’s leading EV technology for heavy and light commercial trucks to be commercialized on a scale that makes sense for the bespoke needs of the mining sector. SEA Electric’s unique architecture is perfectly suited for the task, with the system’s high-torque characteristics ideally fit for purpose.”

This announcement represents a big step forward for SEA’s expansion into the commercial vehicle segment, and it will hopefully demonstrate the company has the ability to be a world leader in electrified vehicle platforms.

There’s a certain irony that a company like Toyota - well known for being a BEV laggard - is being dragged into zero-emissions vehicles by a third party manufacturer, but it speaks to the ruggedness and suitability of its vehicles for industrial applications; if only it and other Japanese manufacturers would take full-fleet electrification seriously.