Su_G1d ago

Current situation re electric trucks in Australia, where lots of stuff moves long distances (quoting James Purtill’s ABC article) : “ About a fifth of trucks in Australia are prime movers used for "line haul" long-distance bulk transportation of freight between cities and towns.

“”Battery-powered models are available but have limited applications, Mr Hammond [the Trucking Industry Council's (TIC) chief technical officer] said.

"You'd be lucky to get 300 kilometres on any of the major transport routes before you need probably a two-hour recharge," he said.

More powerful chargers would reduce this time but place a greater strain on the regional power network.

The amount of power required to recharge an electric road train in the space of an hour was about equivalent to that of a small commercial building, which would be more than some towns' spare capacity.

Hundreds of dedicated charging depots would need to be built to electrify intercity freight, and this would be expensive.” [end quote]

#electricTrucks #Australia #AusPol #dieselTrucks #diesel #EVs #truckingIndustry

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2026-04-09/record-sales-of-electric-trucks-price-parity/106526476

A wave of low-cost electric trucks is heading for Australia

Diesel trucks are the backbone of the national supply chain, but figures buried in recent sales data could mark the beginning of the end for these kings of the road.

Show threadGoimbla1d ago
@Su_G I wonder about the role of current & new Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) in electrification of transport? Energy for long-distance transport energy could return more benefits locally.
https://www.energyco.nsw.gov.au/living-in-a-renewable-energy-zone/what-is-a-rez
What's a renewable energy zone? | EnergyCo

Find out what renewable energy zones are, how they work, and why they matter to your community.

EnergyCo
Show threadCloudslave
@Goimbla @Su_G
Fascinating article in the Saturday Paper about a functioning electric heavy truck co that hauls steel from Kembla to the Hunter 40 mins quicker than the smoke brigade and return on a single charge, renewably sourced. They leave diesel rigs standing on the Mt Ousley climb. Bridget McKenzie of the Nationals insists this is impossible. OK they are heavy and expensive but the capex is quickly paid off thru lower operating costs. Also not dependent on war-choked expensive oil and easier on climate change. https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/economy/2026/04/11/b-doubling-down-electric-trucks
B-doubling down on electric trucks

Bridget McKenzie, the National Party’s leader in the Senate, was contemptuous. During an urgency motion on March 30 about the government’s response to the global fuel crisis, she fired up over suggestions that Australia should look at electrifying the country’s heavy vehicle fleet. “To hear the ridiculous contributions from the Labor Party senators, who somehow think you can hook up a B-double full of cattle, coming down from Rockhampton to Brisbane, and actually use an electric truck? Seriously?”

The Saturday Paper
Apr 12 at 2:56amWeb
Show threadSu_G1d ago

@Cloudslave
Terrific article & overview of so much stuff already going on - much of which will now be accelerated & not before time. Thanks very much gor sharing & drawing attention to it. Mike Seccombe, national treasure. Bridget McKenzie, Angus Taylor: hugging the past, fail.

@Goimbla