Woolworths New Zealand has expanded its electric delivery-truck fleet and infrastructure this month with the opening of a purpose built 15-bay fast-charging hub at its Penrose eStore.

The state-of-the-art facility is said to highlight the retailer’s commitment to driving sustainable delivery solutions, launching alongside the rapid expansion of its active electric fleet.

“Having grown from just three new-generation electric trucks last November to 27 by the end of this month, we are undisputedly leading last-mile home delivery decarbonisation right where our customers live,” said Woolworths New Zealand Managing Director, Sally Copland.

Strong progress

The new trucks represent a major technological upgrade over legacy diesel vehicles, featuring state-of-the-art driver assistance systems, 360-degree cameras, and air brakes for improved community safety.

The fleet is said to already be delivering “massive” results. By the end of August, Woolworths’ electric trucks are anticipated to have clocked almost 800,000 kilometres and are on track to pass one million kilometres by December 2026.

“Our original EV journey began with a pioneering fleet in 2019. While the vehicles in that fleet have long since been retired, over seven years of real-world testing has given us the data necessary to safely scale our fleet today alongside our expert technology and logistics partners,” said Ms Copland.

Woolworths is working towards a 100% electric last-mile fleet. There are 57 next-generation electric trucks scheduled to be active nationwide by the end of June next year, and the new Penrose hub paves the way for all 42 of the site’s delivery trucks to be fully electrified next year.

Ms Copland said the scale-up is a direct investment in the wellbeing of New Zealand communities.

“By decarbonising our transport operations, we are bringing whisper-quiet, zero-emissions deliveries straight to our customers’ doors,” she said.

“I’m proud of the innovation our team here have driven to make this achievement a reality.”