Federal Funding Boosts Expansion of Electric Fleet
On July 21, Australia Post announced it will utilize $40.5 million in federal government funding to accelerate the electrification of its delivery fleet, further expanding the nation’s largest electric transport network. The funds will be used to procure electric vans, light and heavy rigid trucks, and prime movers, while also upgrading charging infrastructure to meet 2030 sustainability targets.
Australia Post currently operates over 5,000 electric vehicles, including electric motorbikes, small delivery vehicles, and last-mile delivery vehicles, making it the largest electric transport fleet in the country. Late last year, the company began trials of its first heavy-duty electric truck, a Mercedes-Benz eActros, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs to validate the feasibility of large electric vehicles in real-world transport scenarios.
Shane Plant, Australia Post’s executive general manager for network operations, stated that the company has been a leader in electric vehicle adoption for over a decade. He noted that the federal funding will accelerate the electrification of heavy vehicles. Plant added that early trials of electric trucks and the existing electric van fleet have shown promising results, and the company plans to further expand the use of electric vehicles to reduce reliance on diesel and enhance the resilience of its transport network.