Volvo announces Australian electric truck milestone
The first electric trucks have rolled off the production line at Volvo Group Australia’s facility in Wacol, Queensland.
The company has described this as a milestone for the nation’s manufacturing capability, representing the first electric trucks to be made in Australia by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
The achievement was marked at an event attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese; Roger Alm, Executive Vice President of Volvo Group and President of Volvo Trucks; Volvo Group Australia President & CEO Martin Merrick; Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro; and Electric Vehicle Council CEO Julie Delvecchio.
“This is a proud day for Volvo Trucks and for Australian manufacturing,” Merrick said. “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.”
The trucks were built at the same Wacol facility where Volvo has manufactured trucks for Australian conditions for more than 50 years. To prepare the local team, Volvo brought in international experts to train and upskill Australian workers.
“It proves what our people and our facilities are capable of,” Merrick added. “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.”
With the transport sector currently the nation’s third largest emitter, accounting for around 22% of Australia’s emissions, Volvo Trucks said the shift to electric vehicles was essential for Australia to meet its net zero commitments. The company said the transition must be driven by industry and government through demand, supportive policy settings, the harmonisation of road weight rules across states, procurement commitments, and investment in charging and grid infrastructure.
Linfox CEO Mark Mazurek, who also attended the launch, said that, as an Australian-owned company, Linfox was proud to support the local economy deploying the first Australian-made electric trucks into its fleet.
“We have been an early adopter of electric vehicles, beginning our sustainability journey more than a decade ago,” Mazurek said.
“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.”
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