Volvo Group Australia has commenced local manufacturing of battery-electric original equipment manufacturer (OEM) trucks, with what the company says are the first Australian-made OEM electric trucks rolling off the production line at its Wacol facility in Queensland.
In a news release, the company said the milestone marks the first time an OEM has manufactured electric trucks in Australia and represents a development for the country’s manufacturing capability and heavy vehicle sector.
The launch was attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Volvo Group Executive Vice President and President of Volvo Trucks Roger Alm, Volvo Group Australia President and CEO Martin Merrick, Linfox CEO Mark Mazurek, Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro and Electric Vehicle Council CEO Julie Delvecchio.
The electric trucks are being built at Volvo’s Wacol facility, where the company has manufactured trucks for Australian conditions for more than 50 years. According to Volvo, the local workforce underwent specialist training from international experts to prepare for electric truck production, enabling Australian employees to manufacture the vehicles to the company’s global standards.
Roger Alm, Executive Vice President of Volvo Group and President of Volvo Trucks, said the launch reflected the company’s long-term commitment to the Australian market.
“Australia is an important market for Volvo Trucks, and building electric trucks here is a clear sign of our long-term commitment. It reflects Volvo Group’s confidence in Australian manufacturing and in the people behind it,” Alm said.
He added that electric trucks would play “a key role in the future of transport” and said local production would help support the transition while bringing the company closer to Australian customers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the launch as an example of the government’s focus on strengthening domestic industry.
“My Government is backing a future made in Australia – investing in local jobs, manufacturing and industry,” Albanese said.
“Electric-made trucks built right here in Brisbane will keep Australia moving now and into the future.”
Volvo Group Australia President and CEO Martin Merrick said the achievement built on the company’s long manufacturing history in Australia.
“This is a proud day for Volvo Trucks and for Australian manufacturing,” Merrick said.
“[W]e have built the first electric truck ever manufactured by an OEM in this country. It proves what our people and our facilities are capable of. These trucks were built right here by an Australian team we have trained to a global standard.”
Volvo said transport accounts for around 22 per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions and argued that broader adoption of electric heavy vehicles would require continued collaboration between industry and government, including supportive policy settings, harmonised road weight regulations, charging infrastructure investment and procurement commitments.
The first Australian-made electric trucks will enter service with logistics company Linfox. CEO Mark Mazurek said the locally built vehicles would support the company’s sustainability objectives while strengthening Australian manufacturing.
“[This] milestone is a prime example of what the industry can achieve in partnership with local manufacturers and government,” Mazurek said.
Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro described the launch as “a major milestone for Australian manufacturing and a testament to the skill and capability of Australian workers.”
In a LinkedIn post following the event, Australian Made said the achievement demonstrated the “capability, expertise and ingenuity” of Australia’s manufacturing sector and noted Volvo is on track to produce its 85,000th Australian Made truck after more than five decades of local production.
