ARENA to invest $100 million to fund heavy vehicle electrification
ARENA has announced a new $100 million fund through the Driving the Nation Program to support projects aimed at transitioning heavy vehicles to electric models, with applications opening from 9 November.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is introducing a $100 million funding pool as part of the Driving the Nation Program, targeting heavy vehicle electrification across Australia. The initiative, which opened for applications on 9 November, will support projects that focus on deploying electric trucks, establishing heavy vehicle charging solutions, and driving innovations in battery electric vehicle uptake.
Transport is a major source of Australia’s CO₂ emissions, with heavy vehicles accounting for a significant share. “The heavy vehicle market has matured significantly over the past year in relation to battery electric vehicles, particularly vehicle availability and infrastructure,” said ARENA CEO Darren Miller.
Miller highlighted the urgency of tackling emissions from the transport sector, as demand across various modes is expected to increase, potentially making it Australia's largest emissions source by 2030.
This latest round of funding expands on ARENA’s support for projects from Linfox and Toll, which received a combined $28.6 million under previous Driving the Nation focus areas. These logistics companies will roll out electric trucks and charging infrastructure across multiple states, aimed at assessing the performance and feasibility of electric trucks over extended use and diverse routes.
Linfox is set to deploy 26 electric trucks in Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria, with CEO Mark Mazurek saying, “As an early adopter of electric vehicles, Linfox is proud to be partnering with the Federal Government to grow our electric fleet and accelerate efforts to decarbonise the logistics and supply chain in Australia”.
Toll will receive $9 million for Project TruckVolt, which will introduce 28 electric trucks across ten locations. Toll’s Managing Director, Alan Beacham, called the project “one of the largest corporate investments in heavy electric vehicles in Australia”.
ARENA aims to drive real-world trials and commercialisation of heavy-duty electric vehicles by addressing ongoing challenges like upfront costs, charging technology, and infrastructure needs.
