Melbourne's freight routes will soon have access to a dedicated electric truck charging hub thanks to an Australian first project supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
$12.3 million in funding will go to Mondo Power (Mondo) to develop, construct and operate an electric truck charging hub in Melbourne's west to demonstrate the technical and commercial feasibility for fleets to electrify their operations.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the project underscores ARENA's commitment to supporting innovation solutions that will accelerate decarbonisation across the heavy transport sector.
"Through Mondo's project, we'll be able to highlight to the heavy transport sector how electrification can be integrated into their existing business models and drive down the high emissions from transporting goods on our roads," Mr Miller said.
"Transport plays a vital role in Australia's economy and contributes around 22% of emissions. By backing first of kind innovation like this, we can accelerate the sector's adoption of clean technologies and bring us closer to our net zero goals."
Located in Laverton North, the hub will consist of 14 dual plug electric vehicle chargers and will be purpose built for heavy battery electric vehicle (BEV) trucks.
The funding will support the installation of fit-for-purpose truck charging infrastructure, as well as partly offset the total cost of ownership for 20 heavy BEV trucks.
Mondo will partner with several truck manufacturers to supply heavy BEV trucks to trucking and transport customers, as well as technical support, trials and long-haul demonstrations.
Mondo will also enter into charging services agreements for charging hub membership to customers to provide site access and high-speed truck charging services. The charging hub membership will include access to the charging hub, set pricing for charging, amenities and driver vehicle parking options.
AusNet Chief Development Officer Jon D'Sylva said this is a first-of-its-kind facility in Australia, providing essential charging infrastructure for heavy vehicles, supporting the transition to zero-emission freight and reducing pollution in Melbourne's inner west.
"This project marks a major step towards a more sustainable and efficient transport network for Australia," said Mr D'Sylva.
"Delivering Australia's clean energy transition is not just about replacing coal-fired power with renewable generation. We need to look holistically across a range of sectors, including transport, at the opportunities to decarbonise and this is just one example of that."
"We're proud to be at the forefront of developing this infrastructure in Australia in partnership with ARENA. Our unique expertise and experience make Mondo, and AusNet more broadly, well-placed to continue to support this once in a generation transition in years to come."
