Volvo Trucks Australia has just delivered the first Volvo Electric truck, sold to the Australian division of global logistics giant GEODIS. The 6×2 FE Electric will be put to work transporting parts from GEODIS’s Matraville NSW headquarters to Volvo Group Australia’s Minto NSW Parts Distribution Centre on the Southwestern outskirts of Sydney.
The short 47-kilometre daily route is a perfect assignment for the truck which has an operational range of up to 220km, depending on battery configuration and application.
The FE Electric is fitted with 4 batteries which combine for a substantial 266kWh total battery capacity, capable of hauling a 7-tonne payload.
The truck also makes use of a 225-kW/850Nm dual-motor driveline and is also backed by a 2-speed automated transmission. Energy usage for this route is in the vicinity of 69kWh.
When it’s time to charge, the energy demands are met by a 50kWh AC charger at the depot. The total charge time from 0% to 100% battery is just over 3 hours, but as we know with EVs, you almost never go to zero, so practically turnaround would be a lot faster.
By opportunity charging while the truck is loading and unloading, the truck can be driven well in excess of its daily work demand. The charger from ABB is actually mounted on wheels, allowing it to be positioned relative to the truck’s parked location which will vary over time.
Below are a selection of photos from the Geodis handover event.
Wacol-based Volvo Group Regional Logistics Buyer, Jennie Alfredsson first identified the route as being ideal for an electric truck.
“We are heavily focused on reducing CO2 emissions from our freight task by 30% per vehicle by 2025.”
Alfredsson subsequently pitched the idea to Volvo Group Australia’s Vice President Emerging Technology Business Development, Paul Illmer.
This project has been such a great example of multiple stakeholders working together to take yet another step towards decarbonising our industry one truck at a time. As a transport buyer, Jennie has recognised an opportunity to make a difference in our logistics operations as seized it. And as a team we’ve worked together to bring a solution to the table.
We’ve made no bones about our determination to tackle the decarbonisation challenges along the way, whether that be sourcing green power for our facilities, a solar project utilizing our own building and factories or finding opportunities such as this.
Geodis Sub- Regional Managing Director- Pacific, Stuart Asplet agrees GEODIS is a low-carbon transport and logistics solution pioneer, and we continually strive to reduce our carbon footprint and limit polluting emissions. We are delighted to collaborate with Volvo on this path, since we know that our future success will be dependent on sustainable partnerships such as this.
