Electric trucks to clean up soap, detergent deliveries
Soap, deodorant and washing powder are among the cleaning products being distributed through cleaner transport with the introduction of an electric backhaul on Sydney’s roads.
New Energy Transport delivered the electric truck to consumer products firm Unilever on Monday, which operated the vehicle to distribute personal and household care products to stores.
The zero-emission Volvo vehicle is the first of 11 vehicles expected to enter service this year after the transport firm announced a $5 million equity raise in June to accelerate its plans.
The announcement also comes less than a week after Volvo launched its first heavy-duty electric trucks manufactured in Australia and Woolworths announced plans to electrify more grocery deliveries.
The Volvo FH electric tractor is the first truck delivered by New Energy Transport as part of its larger plan to transform Australia’s reliance on diesel-powered freight vehicles.
Frederik Pehrsson, co-chairman of New Energy Transport, said the immediate commissioning of the truck proves that electric transport is a viable option for freight operators, otherwise it would be difficult to reduce their emissions.
“This is a major milestone as we receive the keys to our first truck and get our first customer on the road,” he said.
“Electric transport means lower costs, greater reliability and a real reduction in emissions, and brands like Unilever will make this shift at scale, decarbonising their supply chains while delivering greater efficiency.”
The truck will operate from Unilever’s Ingleburn base in Sydney’s south-west and deliver consumer goods across the city on a daily basis.
Brooke Sprott, Unilever’s head of sustainability, said the company was reducing emissions from other parts of its operations but transportation was a challenge.
“Decarbonizing heavy-duty transportation is one of the most complex challenges in our supply chain, and it is not something any single company can solve alone,” he said.
“This partnership is an important step in accelerating progress towards net zero emissions across our value chain.”
The company will lease the truck from Volvo with help from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, which has pledged $70 million to reduce electric truck access.
The vehicle is the first of 20 electric trucks that New Energy Transport plans to launch on Australian roads before the end of 2026.
An electric truck depot is also being built at Wilton, outside Sydney, which will initially support charging 50 vehicles.
Other Australian organizations investing in low-emission heavy transport include Linfox, Woolworths, Team Global Express and Australia Post.
Heavy transport accounts for around seven per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions, but is expected to reach 16 per cent by 2040, according to government estimates.
