Woolworths New Zealand has opened a 15-bay fast-charging hub at its Penrose eStore, supporting the rapid expansion of its electric delivery-truck fleet. The facility is designed to keep pace with a fleet that has grown from three new-generation electric trucks in November last year to 27 by the end of August 2026.
Woolworths New Zealand Managing Director Sally Copland said the investment reflects the company’s commitment to decarbonising its transport operations. “By decarbonising our transport operations, we are bringing whisper-quiet, zero-emissions deliveries straight to our customers’ doors,” Copland said. “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.”
Seven years of real-world data
Woolworths’ electric fleet builds on a pilot programme launched in 2019; those original trucks have since been retired, but the real-world testing that followed has informed the current scale-up. “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,” Copland said.
By the end of August, Woolworths’ electric trucks will have clocked almost 800,000 kilometres — the equivalent of travelling from Cape Reinga to Bluff and back 190 times — and are on track to pass one million kilometres by December 2026.
A step up from diesel
The new trucks bring driver assistance systems, 360-degree cameras and air brakes, features Woolworths says represent a technological upgrade over the legacy diesel vehicles they replace and improve safety for surrounding communities.
Scaling toward a fully electric fleet
Woolworths is committed to a 100% electric last-mile fleet, with 57 next-generation electric trucks scheduled to be active nationwide by the end of June 2027. The Penrose hub paves the way for all 42 of the site’s delivery trucks to be fully electrified in 2027.
