Volvo Group Australia has started production of electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) at its Wacol facility in Brisbane, marking a milestone in the country’s shift towards cleaner transport. The announcement coincided with a record order of 30 electric trucks from freight giant Linfox, the largest single order of electric trucks to date in Australia.
Volvo’s Brisbane plant, in operation for nearly five decades producing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, will now focus on manufacturing electric trucks. This makes the site the fifth Volvo facility globally dedicated to electric truck production, joining three in Europe and one in the United States.
Linfox, one of Australia’s largest logistics and supply chain companies, will be the first to deploy Volvo’s Australian-made electric trucks. The new order includes 29 FM Electric and one FH Electric truck. Of these, ten units will carry the “Australian Made” label, with the remainder expected to be sourced from Volvo’s other global manufacturing sites. The new electric vehicles will complement Linfox’s existing fleet of 195 ICE-powered Volvo FH and FM trucks.
“We are very proud to continue our close partnership with Linfox,” said Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks. “The order for 30 Volvo electric trucks is proof of their trust in our company and in zero-emissions transport as a viable solution here and now.”
Martin Merrick, President of Volvo Group Australia, said that local production is a cornerstone of the company’s long-term strategy. “We are dedicated to establishing a thriving electric truck manufacturing industry that will create skilled jobs, drive innovation, and accelerate the uptake of zero-emission transport solutions across the Australian road transport sector,” Merrick said, urging governments to provide more accessible incentives to help businesses transition to electric fleets.
The order builds on earlier trials conducted by Linfox, which began testing Volvo’s electric trucks in 2021 and expanded the pilot in 2023.