Media Release Monday 27 June, 2022

alfons reitsma is the senior product engineer in the pre-sales department at scania new zealand, which is where all the pre-calculation and application work is done before offering a new vehicle to customers.

The project in bringing Scania’s first Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) model to New Zealand began two years ago and Alfons was involved from day one. In the early stages, Alfons studied the first-generation Scania BEV to see where it could begin to start decarbonising transport in New Zealand. He was then assigned to bring the first units to the New Zealand market with colleague Craig Pepperell.

The project started when Scania’s global headquarters in Sweden selected New Zealand as one of the first markets outside of Europe to launch the BEV model. Various discussions also took place with key clients who wanted to be early adopters of the new technology, prompting Alfons and the Scania New Zealand team to create a business plan to bring heavy duty BEVs into the local market.

Alfons says defining a Battery Electric Truck is very different compared to a traditional Internal Combustion Engine Diesel truck and it challenges automotive engineers on all fronts.

“Everything is new and has to be validated, homologated, checked and calculated many times over before it can be ready for an actual order point,” says Alfons.

“As New Zealand is such a long way from the rest of the world, you want to ensure everything is correct, eventually I had to tell myself ‘That’s it, now order’ as it was difficult to benchmark myself seeing as we were first to market in New Zealand with a BEV factory, bumper-to-bumper solution.

“You have to fully believe that this new technology will work and is up to replacing our current proven technologies over time. A lot of engineering soul searching goes on when diesel has been your best friend for many years.”

Alfons’ highlight of the project was working with a proud customer who had their own vision on electrification. Meeting their expectation, knowing full well that together they were creating a turning point in New Zealand trucking history for the next generation to come was very rewarding. “What can be imagined can be engineered and electrified,” says Alfons.

Alfons will remain involved in the project until completion with hand-over to client and will be involved in all Scania New Zealand BEV projects and deliveries in the future… from start to finish.

For further information, please contact:

Jo Murphy, Marketing & Communications Manager, Scania New Zealand
Phone: +64 21 650 767, email: jo.murphy@scania.co.nz