Most international consignments rely on pick-up and delivery by truck at each end of the journey. There was not much joy for truckers in this week’s Federal Budget. They were slapped with an increase in the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge rate from 27.2 cents per litre of diesel to 32.4 cents per litre in 2025–26. While incentives were outlined in the Government’s recent National Electric Vehicle Strategy paper to convert to EVs, the focus has been on passenger vehicles rather than trucks.
Transport is the third largest source of emissions in Australia. While the average passenger vehicle produces 2.84 tonnes of CO2 per year, and a taxi 4.9 tonnes, a medium-size delivery truck produces 16.2 tonnes, while a larger truck, like a semi-trailer or road train, expels 111 tonnes.
Semi-trailers and road trains, along with smaller trucks and light commercial vehicles like utes and vans, account for 39% of all transport emissions. We have been writing about the “greening” of the shipping and aviation industries, and the move toward zero-emission trucks will be a vital link in this chain.
There is a mix of demand and supply issues holding back zero-emission truck uptake in Australia. There is also limited model availability – we don’t have access to all the models coming on the market in North America and Europe. This supply problem has been due, in part, to Australia’s lack of fuel efficiency standards, which has meant overseas automakers have been sending their EVs to other markets.
As part of the National Electric Vehicle Strategy, the Government is providing $7.4 million to support the introduction of a Fuel Efficiency Standard. While trucks are the big carbon emitters on our roads, they’ve been largely left out of the national EV strategy.
It is private enterprise, rather than the Government, leading the way with electric trucks.
A world-first initiative will be seen next year with an electric-powered road train, under a trial program launched by Oz Minerals, in collaboration with Janus Electric and Qube.
The companies say that batteries can be changed within five minutes and the electric drive truck has a range of up to 400km on a single charge. It is capable of hauling up to 165 tonnes, making it suitable for a triple road train. The technology can be retrofitted into any prime mover, regardless of the make.
The Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) responded to the federal government’s recent announcements on zero-emissions heavy vehicles by calling for urgent regulatory changes to support the transition.
Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) and the Queensland Transport & Logistics Council (QTLC) recently hosted a Zero Emissions (ZE) Vehicle Ride Day for port and logistics operators interested in learning more about transitioning to Zero Emissions trucks.
Participants had the opportunity to ride in and experience six different ZE trucks and vans and meet with vehicle manufacturers and technical specialists to better understand supportive services such as costing, charging, hydrogen, training and after-market support.
Port of Brisbane Chief Operating Officer, Peter Keyte, said, “Zero Emission Vehicles are here, and we know they’re going to become a more common sight on roads and ports around the country.”
The Ride Day was supported by Blk Auto, Daimler, Volvo, Janus Electric, SEA Electric and All Purpose Transport, who provided ZE trucks and vans.
Colless Young is a Licensed Customs Broker and International Freight Forwarder. We offer professional advice on all aspects of import and export procedures, including clearance through Customs and Quarantine, at all Australian ports and airports. Our logistics services cover airfreight and sea cargo, including fumigation, warehousing and trucking.
