More than 300 electric trucks, vans and charging stations will be added to a major courier company's fleet as part of a $30 million government investment to prove transport firms can cut air pollution.
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation announced its investment on Thursday, revealing it would provide low-cost finance to Team Global Express to charge up its investment in heavy-duty electric transport through Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
The funding boost will add to its purchase of 60 electric trucks the company has already made in partnership with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
Corporation chief executive Ian Learmonth said the $30 million offer would help the logistics firm to invest in more than 300 electric vehicles and infrastructure projects, including electric vans, light, medium and rigid trucks and hybrid refrigerated trucks.
The investments will be made over the next three years.
"Transport emissions account for 21 per cent of all emissions in Australia and as our economy continues to decarbonise, transport is likely to become the largest source of emissions by 2030," he said.
"As a nation heavily reliant on logistics and heavy transport, we face an urgent need to decarbonise our transport supply chain network to ensure we don't get left behind globally."
Heavy vehicles make up four per cent of all vehicles on Australian roads, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, but account for 25 per cent of fuel consumption.
Until recently, weight and size limits have also restricted the type of electric trucks that could be driven on Australian roads but changes at the national level and in Queensland, Victoria, NSW and South Australia have allowed more models to be used.
Team Global Express chief executive Christine Holgate said the financial boost would allow the company to cut emissions and introduce greener products for customers.
"Our mission is to be Australia's most sustainable national logistics solution partner," she said.
"We know our long-term success is dependent on our ability to operate sustainably, adapt to changing conditions, and partner across the supply chain to strengthen our focus on (environmental, social and governance)."
The firm, formerly known as Toll, previously partnered with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to add 60 electric trucks to its western Sydney depot, including 24 light-rigid models and 36 medium-rigid trucks, as part of a $44.3 million project.
The latest announcement comes two weeks after the federal government launched public consultation into its Transport and Infrastructure Net-Zero Roadmap that would identify ways to cut emissions from the transport sector, including heavy vehicles.
Transport Minister Catherine King said she hoped both community and industry groups would have their say on the future of the market before submissions closed on July 26.
“We have set out important questions in the consultation roadmap and will work with stakeholders on identifying and implementing actions to reduce transport emissions in a way that works for Australia," she said.
