A new $19 million truck charging hub is being constructed in the Sydney suburb of Mascot.
Global fleet electrification specialist Zenobē will own and operate the site and the trucks, which will be leased to Woolworths under an Australian-first electric vehicle as a service business model for trucks.
The charging hub will include 22 dual port chargers integrated with smart charging software and a stationary battery mode from second-life EV batteries.
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has committed $8.5 million to the project from the Driving the Nation Fund.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said, “This Australian first project is showing the heavy transport sector how electrification can be integrated into their existing business models and drive down the high emissions from transporting goods our roads.
“As customers become more used to having their groceries delivered, it makes sense to find renewable energy solutions to do so.”
“Transport plays a vital role in Australia’s economy and contributes to 20 per cent of emissions. ARENA is excited to fund projects like this finding solutions to the problem.”
The EV project includes a brand-new $19 million charging hub and leasing of 60 BEV trucks to Woolworths supermarket for its grocery home delivery fleet. The site will also have the capacity to accommodate additional BEV trucks to create a multi-user facility.
Woolworths plans to make its entire fleet of home delivery trucks 100 per cent electric by 2030.
Zenobē founder and director, Nicholas Beatty, added, “Green finance is key to unlocking flagship projects like this, accelerating the decarbonisation of transport. Collaboration remains key and, together with ARENA and Woolworths, we are showing that the truck sector can electrify today.”
Zenobē Australia New Zealand country director Gareth Ridge commented: “We are thrilled to utilise the ARENA Driving the Nation Fund to work alongside Woolworths in deploying an Australian first electric vehicle as a service (EVaaS) charging hub model. The funding will enable us to set a new standard for truck fleet electrification both in the region and in the wider industry.
“This will create another blueprint for what is possible, this time in large-scale heavy vehicle fleet electrification, following the success in establishing the Leichhardt Next Generation Bus depot. The project is another step forward in realising our goal of making clean power accessible and efficient for major operators.”
ARENA has previously worked with Zenobē on the $37.2 million ‘Next Generation Electric Bus Depot’ in Leichardt, NSW, where ARENA provided a $5 million grant in 2021.
Zenobē expects work on the charging hub to be completed in early 2025.