Volvo Electric Heavy Trucks — Built in Queensland for Australia

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CleanTechnica readers were among the first to be told about the prospect of electric semi-truck trailers to be built at the Volvo plant in Wacol, near Brisbane, Queensland. Volvo Group Australia has just announced that the first units have rolled off its production line in Wacol. “These are the first electric trucks manufactured in Australia by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and a milestone for the nation’s manufacturing capability, workforce and the future of zero-tailpipe emissions transport,” the press release stated. Quite an achievement. Australian battery electric heavy haulers made in Australia for Australia and “built at the same Wacol facility where Volvo has manufactured trucks for Australian conditions for more than 50 years.”

It even made the mainstream news. You can watch the video here. The main talking points appear to be: the trucks will mainly be used for metro runs, and they have a range of about 300 km. Linfox has ordered 30. These will be added to their existing fleet of 2,500 diesel trucks. “They won’t get across the Nulabor, but will be useful in the cities.” The federal government’s AU$70 million investment will help with the significant cost difference between diesel trucks and their BEV equivalents. The Volvo facility at Wacol could move 30% of its production to BEV semis “if the demand is there.”

I reached out to my contact at Volvo with some additional questions. I asked: Do the components come from Sweden, Europe, and/or China? He told me” “The components are shipped from Sweden with some locally supplied components (cab trim etc). The NCA battery cells are from Samsung and the packs are assembled in Europe.”

In the Channel 7 News video, the emphasis seems to be on a small range, with possibilities of longer range to come. “The current electric lineup has a range of up to 300km, with a GCM of 45 tons. However, we’ve just launched a next-gen lineup with a range of 470km and a GCM of 65 tons. A 700km range variant has just been launched in Europe. The Waco-built vehicles are first generation. This project was to put an emphasis on developing local competency in the e-mobility manufacturing space. We are looking to move to local serial production of the next-generation electric in 18 months time.” That’s exciting. CleanTechnica will be here to report on these developments.

As reported here, Linfox has been supported by the Australian Labour government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to purchase battery electric trucks. Volvo did not expect to be manufacturing in Australia until 2027. Not just progress, then, but exceeding expectations.

Attending the launch were: Minister Anthony Albanese; Roger Alm, Executive Vice President of Volvo Group and President of Volvo Trucks; Volvo Group Australia President & CEO Martin Merrick; Linfox CEO Mark Mazurek; Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro; and Electric Vehicle Council CEO Julie Delvecchio.

“My government is backing a future made in Australia — investing in local jobs, manufacturing and industry. We have all the resources to be a clean energy superpower — under the ground and in the sky — and projects like this show just what’s possible. Electric-made trucks built right here in Brisbane will keep Australia moving now and into the future,” stated the Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia.

I couldn’t find a comment from the conservative Queensland government, which is pro fossil fuels, except to say that they support Volvo and commend them for their diesel fleet. Since being elected, the Queensland state government has worked hard to slow the transition to EVs and renewable energy. But the rEVolution continues.

“Australia is an important market for Volvo Trucks, and building electric trucks here is a clear sign of our long-term commitment. It reflects Volvo Group’s confidence in Australian manufacturing and in the people behind it. We are convinced that electric trucks will play a key role in the future of transport. Producing them in Australia will help drive the sustainability transformation, while bringing us even closer to our customers and their needs,” Roger Alm, Executive Vice President of Volvo Group and President of Volvo Trucks, said.

Martin Merrick, President & CEO of Volvo Group Australia, added: “This is a proud day for Volvo Trucks and for Australian manufacturing. For more than 50 years we have built Volvo trucks for Australian conditions here in Wacol, and today we have built the first electric truck ever manufactured by an OEM in this country. It proves what our people and our facilities are capable of. These trucks were built right here by an Australian team we have trained to a global standard. This is proof of concept, and a foundation we are ready to build on.”

Linfox CEO Mark Mazurek is proud of the company’s record as an early adopter of electric vehicles. Their participation in this project, partially funded by ARENA, has encouraged Volvo to take the steps it has. “Linfox is proud to support the local economy deploying the first Australian made electric trucks into our fleet.” Linfox began its sustainably journey more than a decade ago.

“Today’s milestone is a prime example of what the industry can achieve in partnership with local manufacturers and government. These Australian made electric prime movers will ensure we continue to service our customers with a reliable fleet that is safe, secure, efficient and sustainable,” Mr Mazurek concluded.

Ben Lazzaro, Chief Executive of the Australian Made Campaign, celebrated this major milestone, proclaiming that “local manufacturing can drive innovation, support sustainability goals and strengthen our economic future.” Thus building a “sovereign capability.”

Volvo brought in international experts to train and upskill Australian workers, enabling them to build world-class Volvo electric trucks. It is expected that as demand increases, future production will grow. Wacol now has the capability to produce global standard heavy vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions. With transport producing ever more carbon emissions, a transition to battery electric heavy transport is essential for Australia to achieve its goal of net zero by 2050.

“Volvo Trucks says industry and government must drive together through demand, supportive policy settings, the harmonisation of road weight rules across states, procurement commitments, and investment in charging and grid infrastructure.”

The constantly rising cost of diesel is also encouraging trucking companies to look seriously at a transition to BEV. Volvo has now added another option to what is available — new trucks from China, reconditioned trucks from Janus, and now, new trucks made in Australia for Australia.

Some may say that these ten trucks are a drop in the bucket, but a slow drip will fill a bucket over time. One of my readers previously quipped, “I say Earth is the bucket we all drink out of and pee into.” Another made the point that even the mighty Tesla has only delivered a couple hundred BEV semi trucks. Homegrown Volvo BEV semi trailers even in small numbers will make an impact in Australia.

Here’s to quiet deliveries with less pollution, and may production expand as trucking companies are squeezed by popular demand from bean counters realising the cost savings. In Australia, the future is bright and electric.