Sydney parcel delivery 'Depot of the Future' switches to battery electric fleet
One of Australia’s busiest logistics providers is set to embark on Australia’s largest vehicle electrification project at its western Sydney depot.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $20.1 million in funding to Team Global Express (Global Express) for the ‘Depot of the Future’ project to integrate battery electric vehicles within its transport and logistics operations.
Global Express will deploy 60 battery electric delivery vehicles and associated charging infrastructure within its ‘Express Parcels’ fleet at the western Sydney depot in Bungarribee, NSW.
The $44.3 million project includes the purchase and operation of 24 Daimler Fuso eCanters (Light Rigid Vehicles), 36 Volvo eFLs (Medium Rigid Vehicles) and the associated charging and site infrastructure to enable vehicle integration into the depot.
The project plays a critical role in Global Express’ decarbonisation strategy and will see one-third of its western Sydney fleet transition to BEVs and operate under a ‘back-to-base' model, with the trucks travelling from distribution centres to customers in urban areas, then returning to the depot for charging.
The project is expected to generate significant insights on the impact on fleet management, delivery routing and infrastructure requirements when a large fleet electrifies a material proportion of its operations.
ARENA has committed over $100 million to the transport sector since 2016, including fast charging networks, home smart charging trials and hydrogen refueling infrastructure. ARENA funded projects have progressively built an understanding of key issues and helped to address key barriers.
ARENA will continue to support further development in zero emission vehicles and technologies, including further investment in charging stations across the country, as well as EV charging at home and applications for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, heavy fleets and vehicles used in mining.
Decarbonisation of land transport is a key priority for ARENA, with the Australian Government’s Driving the Nation program continuing to help industry and consumers take the steps necessary to see Australia’s transport emissions reduce in line with international commitments.
