A new initiative that will deploy 60 battery-electric delivery vehicles and associated charging infrastructure at a major transport logistics hub is being hailed as the ‘depot of the future’ and Australia’s largest vehicle electrification project.

Transport makes up an estimated 19% of Australia’s total CO2 emissions and the road freight sector accounts for 38% of that amount.

Hence why the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $20.1 million in funding to Team Global Express (Global Express), one of Australia’s busiest logistics providers, to integrate battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) within its transport and logistics operations.  

Global Express will deploy 60 battery-electric delivery vehicles and associated charging infrastructure within its ‘Express Parcels’ fleet at the western Sydney depot in Bungarribee. 

The $44.3 million project includes the purchase and operation of 24 Daimler Fuso eCanters (light rigid vehicles), 36 Volvo eFLs (medium rigid vehicles) and the associated charging and site infrastructure to enable vehicle integration into the depot. 

The project plays a critical role in Global Express’s decarbonisation strategy and will see one-third of its western Sydney fleet transition to BEVs and operate under a ‘back-to-base' model, with the trucks travelling from distribution centres to customers in urban areas, then returning to the depot for charging.  

Decarbonisation of land transport is a key priority for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), via the Australian Government’s Driving the Nation program which is designed to help industry and consumers take the steps necessary to reduce Australia’s transport emissions. 

ARENA has committed more than $100 million to the transport sector since 2016, including funding the construction of fast-charging networks, home smart-charging trials and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the Global Express project is an important step towards reducing emissions from heavy vehicles. 

“We’re excited to be working with Global Express in switching a significant portion of its fleet to electric vehicles at its Bungarribee depot,” Mr Miller said.

“We expect the project will provide valuable insights into the costs and operational aspects of transitioning its wider fleet to zero-emissions vehicles.

“Importantly, our goal is for the heavy vehicle industry to learn from this project as others consider their transition pathway. 

“Operating a fleet of battery-electric heavy vehicles will help to address some of the key barriers to adoption, including overcoming the higher upfront purchase price, and uncertainty of integrating electric vehicles into existing operations at scale.

“Understanding these barriers will help to build market confidence around EV technology and show that the transition to heavy electric vehicles is possible.”

Group CEO of Team Global Express Christine Holgate said the organisation and its shareholder Allegro would contribute $24.2 million to the project, which she believed would place the company at the forefront of electric vehicle adoption in the Australian logistics sector.

Being the largest logistics EV fleet in Australia, Team Global Express will be in a unique position to share knowledge with government, industry partners and manufacturers, to help all stakeholders towards a greener future for logistics, Ms Holgate said.