Electric trucks in the fleet of East Tamaki-based Waste Management New Zealand have covered a distance the equivalent of five times from Earth to the moon and back.
The company is the country’s largest waste, resource recovery and environmental services provider.
It’s celebrating having achieved a “significant milestone” in sustainable transportation, with its electric truck fleet having travelled two million kilometres.
Waste Management recently celebrated the occasion with a special event at its East Tamaki Road corporate headquarters featuring a cake and a visit from Transport and Energy Minister and Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown.
Waste Management managing director Evan Maehl says: “This milestone represents not just a number but a tangible reduction in our carbon footprint, a significant step toward our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, and a clear demonstration of our commitment to New Zealand’s sustainable future.
“This achievement is about more than just Waste Management. It’s about showing what’s possible when we combine innovation, determination, and a shared vision for a better future.
“It’s about setting an example for our industry but also for businesses across New Zealand.
“As we celebrate today, we’re also looking ahead. This is not the finish line but a milestone on our ongoing journey.
“We remain committed to expanding our fleet, reducing emissions, and continually innovating how we serve our communities while protecting the environment.”
Brown told the audience it was exciting to see a local international business playing such a critical role “in demonstrating that the future is electric, and not just electric in the future, but today”.
“You’ve been doing that journey for such a long time so I congratulate you for reaching that milestone of two million kilometres. It’s probably a lot more.
“As a Government we’re very keen to continue support for the work you’re doing.
“In order to enable that though we need to make sure we’ve got the energy required to electrify our economy.
“We’re very committed to unlocking and reducing the barriers to producing the energy New Zealand needs.
“If you look out over the next 25 years toward 2050, when we need to achieve that net zero target, making sure we have access to affordable energy, which is reliable, and at internationally competitive prices, is going to be our big challenge as a country.
“The technology around electrification, hydrogen, all of that technology is moving rapidly, but if we as a country don’t have that energy to be able to supply that to the grid at affordable prices that is going to be what holds us back.
“So as Minister of Energy, I’m completely focused on reducing those barriers.”
Waste Management has 54 fully electric trucks in operation with the two million km representing 1412 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions saved.
It also has 113 electric vehicles integrated into its light fleet and has added 20 light electric trucks for Auckland Council’s food waste collections.
