A fleet of 26 electric trucks will take on heavy-hauling routes across Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide through a new project from Linfox.
The trucks will cover about about 500km a day, forming part of a food and beverage distribution and integrated rail transport network.
Diesel trucks travelling from Linfox hubs in Laverton North, Willawong and the Adelaide rail freight terminal will be replaced by the battery-powered prime movers.
“The Albanese Government’s funding to this project is targeted to help overcome barriers to the adoption of electric trucks at scale, such as financial, operational, business model, and market sentiment barriers,” the Federal Government said in a statement.
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The project received $19.63 million through the Federal Government’s Driving the Nation program, which is continuously open to applications for initiatives that help boost the adoption of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the new electric truck fleet would provide benefits on multiple fronts.
“This investment in electric trucks, fast chargers and onsite solar systems could deliver the biggest cut to Linfox’s fuel use, emissions and running costs in its seven-decade history,” he said.
“When Linfox put in the biggest order for electric trucks in Australia, it was already the best decision for the future of the business and the 24,000 people it employs.
“And while governments across Australia continue to secure Australia’s supply of diesel and exhaust fluid, Linfox has taken a huge step to secure its energy security and consistently low running costs.”
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King echoed Bowen’s sentiment.
“Freight is the backbone of the Australian economy, but it has historically been heavily exposed to global fuel markets,” she said.
“Getting trucks on the road that are powered by electricity will ensure costs are more consistent for consumers and make our supply chains more resilient.”
