Volvo Touts Brisbane-Built Electric Trucks – But Only If Australian Design Rules Change

Volvo is showing off its electric trucks, although Australian design rules need to be changed before they’re sold here. Volvo says it wants to manufacture them in Brisbane.

Two vehicles have hit the showrooms so far. There’s the 44-tonne FH Electric: it’s got three electric motors delivering 490kW of power; or there’s the FE Electric, a 27-tonne machine with two electric motors delivering 225kW. Each has battery configurations for up to 300km range.

The trucks put the batteries where diesel fuel tanks are usually installed, with the motors between the chassis rails.

Volvo has operated a manufacturing facility in the south-east Brisbane suburb of Wacol since 1972, and as of 2027, the Swedish truck maker wants to build electric trucks there.

In a media release, Volvo Trucks Australia VP Gary Bone said:

“Being able to engineer and implement these vehicles locally will allow us to work with closely with our customers as they move towards zero emissions transport over the next decade.”

This piece from the RACQ quotes Volvo Group Australia’s president Martin Merrick saying the 300km range, while unsuitable for long-haul routes, would still find a niche here, since around 35% of road freight happens within urban areas.

Bone said:

“Lightweight single trailer applications like supermarket deliveries, freight movements within port precincts as well as parcel freight all make total sense for a heavy-duty BEV.”

A widely-syndicated piece (here in The New Daily) from Australian Associated Press reported from the Brisbane Truck Show that Volvo’s emerging technology business development vice-president Paul Illmer warned Australia’s 6.5-tonne load limit on the front axles of trucks was preventing trucks designed for Europe (where the limit is 8-10 tonnes) stopped units like the FH and FE Electric being sold here.

We also limit the width of trucks to 2.5 metres rather than Europe’s 2.55 metres.

The Queensland government has offered a measure of support: the two models have permits to undergo trials here, but legislation will have to change before they can go on sale.

As Adiona Tech recently found, heavy vehicle electrification is important, since the 1% of vehicles that are trucks produce 15% of transport emissions.

Merrick also criticised the federal government for overlooking heavy vehicles and road transport in its National Electric Vehicle Strategy.

He urged governments to create a task force to tackle vehicle standards.

Volvo has smaller, Australia-legal electric trucks on offer already, and in March, Australia Post began trialling the 5.5-tonne, 266kWh Electric FL.

Original Source: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/volvo-electric-truck/