Iveco eDaily on test in Australia
Following its Australian public debut at the Brisbane Truck Show in May, validation units of Iveco’s eDaily truck are undergoing testing to determine what modifications – if any – need to be made to the electric truck to suit Aussie conditions.
The first of its type in Australia and New Zealand, the eDaily is an electric twin to Iveco’s well-established and popular Daily, differing only in the drivetrain and a few other components.
“The eDaily is a key element of Iveco’s product development strategy and transition roadmap as it pursues its decarbonisation targets through a multi-energy approach that includes a strong focus on electric propulsion,” said Iveco ANZ Managing Director, Michael May.
“The Iveco eDaily is already showing strong acceptance in Europe where it’s ideal for congested city environments; we believe it will also excel in these conditions locally, particularly in back to base operations.”
In developing the eDaily range for Australia, Iveco joined forces with leading tertiary institutions, Government departments and private enterprises, with these partners bringing expertise to areas like training, tooling and exploring recharge opportunities. Additionally, Iveco ANZ are calling on their own engineering department, who will play a major role in validating the new range using facilities within the local Customer and Innovation Centre.
In overseas markets, the Iveco eDaily range is already available in a range of van and cab chassis variants, as well as one, two or three batteries, depending on configuration. Combined battery capacities of up to 111kWh produce up to 140kW of power and 400Nm of torque, according to Iveco.
Multiple charging options include a standard onboard 11kW AC charger, optional 22kW on-board AC charger, or an DC fast charger of up to 80kW. Depending on the battery options fitted, charge times of between three and nine hours can be reached using the on-board chargers, while the DC fast charger can provide more than 80 per cent charge in under 1.5 hours.
The vehicle presented at the Brisbane Truck Show vehicle was a 70C cab chassis with 4350mm wheelbase, 7.2t GVM and three batteries. This unit and several others are being tested locally in preparation for the roll-out of the broader eDaily line-up.
Loaded drive range for local eDaily models will be up to 300km, which Iveco claim is amongst the highest of any electric light truck or large van currently available.
Being based on the Daily range means that eDaily purchasers will be familiar with the operation of the electric vehicles and their broader features and benefits. It’s a similar case for bodybuilders – all the main electric components sit within the conventional chassis. There are no protruding parts and the chassis itself carries the exact same body mounting positions as the diesel Daily, ensuring body fitment remains simple.
