Volvo FL Electric delivers for Australia Post

The national postal service, Australia Post, recently received its first Volvo electric truck, with a Volvo FL Electric signing on for a six-month trial at the organisation’s Redbank Plains distribution centre on Brisbane’s outskirts.

The truck utilises four batteries that deliver a capacity of 265kWh, has a maximum payload of 5500kg, and can achieve a range of up to 300km, says Volvo.

The company also says the truck’s electric drivetrain delivers up to 425Nm of torque to its rear wheels via a two-speed automated transmission, and comes with a full suite of active safety features, including autonomous emergency braking, while meeting the Swedish BOF10 crash rating that exceeds current European crash test standards.

According to Tim Camilleri, E-mobility Manager for Volvo Group Australia, the delivery of the first electric truck to Australia Post represents a major milestone on the electrification journey.

“It’s very rewarding seeing these vehicles go into service after so much hard work ensuring they are the right fit for both our market and the applications they are being put into,” he says.

“These vehicles are proving themselves day in and day out around the globe. We don’t experiment on our customers; we work with them to deliver the right zero-emissions outcome for their business and that means advising on utilisation and charging as well.

“In this case the FL Electric is an excellent fit for Australia Post.”

Australia Post Divisional General Manager South, James Dixon, says the trial highlight’s the commitment Australia Post has made to transitioning to a sustainable business model.

“We have worked hard to help reduce our carbon emissions over the last decade, including by adopting low- and zero-emission vehicles where possible with the largest fleet of electric delivery vehicles in Australia.

“The truck has been in service for a couple of months now and is performing well. We will continue to push electric vehicles into our fleet where we can to help reduce emissions wherever we can.”

Medium-duty Volvo electric trucks have been operating in Australia since mid-2021, while Volvo Group Australia says it was recently granted NHVR and TMR Qld approval to commence validation testing of heavy-duty electric trucks in Queensland at weights of up to 42,500kg.