Depot of the Future Vehicle Electrification Project

Summary

Need

The Depot of the Future Vehicle Electrification Project will demonstrate the impact of large-scale BEV integration in fleet operations and provide meaningful insights that will help overcome barriers to BEV adoption across the Recipient’s wider fleet and the broader heavy vehicle industry.

Action

Project activities include the:

1. acquisition and operation of 24 x Daimler Fuso eCanters and 36 x Volvo FLs BEVs;
2. installation of appropriate charging equipment and enabling infrastructure; and
3. associated knowledge sharing per the Knowledge Sharing Plan.

Outcome

The Project will achieve the following Outcomes:

1. Overcome barriers to accelerate uptake of Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) by fleets by demonstrating that BEVs can be operated as a significant percentage of the heavy fleet in depot operations.
2. Demonstrate the utility of BEVs for urban applications, e.g., transport from distribution centres to urban areas.
3. Operating the fleet will help address the key economic barriers to adoption vehicle purchase cost and potential resale value, vehicle running costs, infrastructure cost, and operational flexibility.
4. Build the market confidence around the reliability of the new technology, potential resale values, fuel/energy costs and other operating costs through knowledge sharing activities.

Additional impact

It will be the largest single trial of commercial electric vehicles in the logistics sector in Australia and will place Team Global Express at the forefront of a green change in the industry.

Through this trial we are demonstrating to our stakeholders and our people that we live and breathe our vision to be the leader in sustainable logistics, and we place our commitment to the planet, our people, and our customers at the heart of everything we do.

We have worked extensively with our TWU colleagues to bring comfort around what is going to be an extensive learning experience. We anticipate regular site visits and engagement with the local community to allow us to widely share our knowledge.

We expect that the project will create between 50 and 70 jobs during the construction phase, and anticipate that the use of BEVs will be attractive to new drivers coming into transport and logistics.