New Zealand’s Foodstuffs North Island Limited has given its latest electric semi truck an electrifying new identity, courtesy of a second-grade student at a local elementary school.
The Chinese-built DeepWay Star began delivering chilled and frozen groceries across New Zealand’s lower North Island earlier this year – and, after a naming competition organized with students at Russell Street School in Palmerston North, the big HD EV has got a new name: Evie.
The winning name came from Year 2 (read: second grade) student named Madison, who beat out suggestions including Buzzy Bee, Lightning, and Bolt. Madison got to officially unveil the truck’s new name alongside her classmates, local officials and Foodstuffs representatives.
“Our trucks are out on the road every day delivering food to stores and communities, so we thought it would be great to get the kids involved and give our first electric truck a bit of personality,” explains Foodstuffs North Island General Manager Supply Chain, Yang Zhang. “There were some brilliant ideas, but Evie was a pretty fitting name for an EV. The best part is knowing Madison and the other students will be able to spot Evie out on the road and know they played a part in it.”
Madison was allowed to do the unveiling honors, revealing Evie’s new name alongside her other classmates, Palmerston North’s Mayor, Grant Smith, local MP Tangi Utikeri, and local PAK’nSAVE, New World, and Four Square grocers who will be receiving deliveries from Evie.
In its first few months on the road, Evie’s travelled nearly 45,000 kilometers (~28,000 miles) and avoided more than 81,000 kg of harmful carbon emissions – which the company claims is roughly equivalent to taking 35 ICE cars off the road for a full year .
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