BY PETER HYSLOP
3ME Technology at Cardiff has scored nearly $3 million for the production of four battery-powered transport trailers.
The trailers can be remotely controlled, allowing vehicles to tow more tonnes than they could otherwise, and with the capacity to decouple and be remotely operated, keeping soldiers in combat and mining workers out of harm’s way.
The Federal Government has awarded the funding under the Industry Growth Program, to use the technology in the Defence Force.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy says it’s an exciting project.
“I have seen [3ME’s] work up close for years, and I cannot wait to see the exciting progress they make with the support of this program,” he said.
3ME CEO Justin Bain says there’s not much else like it on the market.
“Because it’s got electric motors in the wheels, you can have a high tonnage payload, in that off-highway environment like a mine site.
“You could be carrying 20 tonnes on a vehicle that ordinarily might only be able to tow a few tonnes,” he said.
