It’s a ground-breaking battery-electric power take-off (PTO) system developed by Jeff Naish and his Christchurch-based company, Newspec. The system enables milk tankers to operate without idling during milk collection, leading to significant fuel savings and reduced emissions.

The system reduces engine running time by 20–25%, which translates to savings of approximately 500–600 litres of diesel per tanker each month.

Traditional milk tankers idle for hours each day while pumping milk, leading to wasted fuel, higher emissions, and engine wear. The Newspec system eliminates this inefficiency by electrifying the pumping process.

Dr Digby Symons of the University of Canterbury conducted an independent analysis and confirmed the system’s substantial fuel and engine hour savings compared to conventional PTO systems.

In addition to fuel savings and lower emissions, the system reduces engine wear and maintenance needs. These efficiency gains scale significantly across a fleet.

Hilton Haulage, a major milk transport operator, is trialling the second-generation system. Results to date have exceeded expectations.

Simon Hand, GM of Dairy and Bulk Liquids at Hilton Haulage, said the decision to install Newspec’s PTO was a “no brainer” due to its cost savings, efficiency, environmental benefits, and ease of integration for drivers.

No. Newspec’s PTO is fully self-contained and recharges while the truck is driving, using the alternator and a DC-DC charger. This eliminates the need for depot-based or external charging infrastructure.

With an estimated 700 milk tankers operating nationally, the technology has significant commercial and environmental potential, especially as the sector seeks to decarbonise.

While indirect, farmers benefit from a smaller environmental footprint across the supply chain, an increasingly important factor for regulators, exporters, and consumers.

No. Newspec is exploring applications in other sectors such as utilities and container handling, anywhere vehicles idle to power hydraulic systems.

With growing pressure to reduce emissions, Newspec’s PTO technology offers a practical, scalable, and self-sufficient pathway toward cleaner heavy transport operations.

“This isn’t just about milk tankers,” Naish says. “Wherever engines are idling to do mechanical work, there’s a better, cleaner way.”

No. According to Naish, the system is designed to integrate smoothly without disrupting operations. “Innovation doesn’t have to be disruptive, it just has to make sense.”