Air Liquide EV Pilot
Alexander Group partnered with Air Liquide to deploy one of New Zealand's first electric heavy vehicles in industrial-gas logistics, testing lower-emissions transport in live specialist freight.
The story
01
Air Liquide's packaged-gas operation gave the partners a real setting to test what lower-emissions heavy transport could look like.
The aim was not a showcase pilot but to see whether EV technology could handle live routes, payload demands, trained drivers, customer sites, safety requirements and service expectations.
02
Sustainability had to fit within the operating model and meet the standards expected for critical product movement.
The vehicle needed to support reliability, safety, compliance, driver usability, route requirements, payload needs and daily delivery performance. The core question was whether electric heavy-vehicle technology could work under those demands.
03
Alexander Group acted as an operational partner rather than just a transport provider. The EV was integrated into Air Liquide's live packaged-gas operation, and we tracked energy use, efficiency and emissions.
The pilot applied our usual disciplines: trained drivers, fit-for-purpose fleet planning, digital safety and compliance systems, and evidence-led reporting.
04
Over months of live operation, the EV ran more efficiently than the manufacturer's simulation and produced materially lower CO2 emissions than the diesel vehicle it replaced.
The pilot also created an evidence base showing where EVs already work, which operational constraints remain, and how future vehicles could offer greater payload capacity and a wider emissions advantage.
Proof points
01
One of the first electric heavy vehicles deployed in New Zealand's industrial-gas logistics sector.
02
The EV ran more efficiently than the manufacturer's own simulation.
03
Materially lower CO2 emissions than the diesel unit it replaced.
04
Live performance, energy use and emissions were monitored over months of real operation.
05
The learnings point toward larger EV deployment, improved payload capacity and a broader emissions advantage.
In their words
Alexander Group brought the operational discipline, driver capability and data-led approach needed to make this EV pilot meaningful. Together, we were able to test lower-emissions transport in a live packaged-gas environment and build a clearer view of what sustainable specialist freight could look like at scale.
Air Liquide New Zealand
Request A Quote
If you need to reliably transport high-stakes goods or solve complex distribution challenges, you can rely on us to get it moving.
We'd love to hear from you! Please fill out the form and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.