Electric Trucks in Australia: What Drivers Need to Know

Electric Trucks in Australia: The Future of Trucking and What It Means for Drivers

Published: September 28, 2026

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Quick answer: Electric trucks run on big batteries and electric motors instead of diesel. They are already working on Australian roads, but they are still rare.

Only about 200 of the roughly 35,000 trucks sold in Australia in 2025 were electric (The Conversation).

That is starting to change. Big freight companies, local councils and bus companies are putting electric trucks and buses to work.

In Victoria, every new public transport bus ordered since July 2025 has to be zero emission. That means more electric buses on the road every year.

So what does this mean for you as a driver? This guide covers how electric trucks drive, who is using them, what they cost and what it means for your licence.

How Is an Electric Truck Different From a Diesel Truck?

An electric truck does the same job as a diesel truck. The big changes are how it drives, how it fills up and how it gets serviced.

	Diesel truck	Electric truck
Power	Diesel engine and gearbox	Battery pack and electric motor
Filling up	Fuel up at a servo in a few minutes	Mostly charged overnight back at the depot
Gears	Manual, auto or automated manual	No normal gearbox to shift
Braking	Service brakes plus engine brake or retarder	Lifting off the pedal slows the truck and puts power back in the battery
Noise	Loud engine and exhaust	Very quiet, even at low speed
Servicing	Oil, filters, injectors and exhaust parts	Far fewer moving parts
Range	Long range on one tank	Up to about 300 km on a charge for a heavy prime mover
Weight	Lighter engine and driveline	Batteries add weight, often over the front axle

The range figure comes from Volvo for its FH Electric prime mover. Volvo says it can pull up to 50 tonnes gross combination weight (Volvo Group Australia).

Range goes down with heavy loads, hills and hot days. It works the same way as fuel use in a diesel.

How Is an Electric Truck Different From a Diesel Truck?

An electric truck does the same job as a diesel truck. The big changes are how it drives, how it fills up and how it gets serviced.

	Diesel truck	Electric truck
Power	Diesel engine and gearbox	Battery pack and electric motor
Filling up	Fuel up at a servo in a few minutes	Mostly charged overnight back at the depot
Gears	Manual, auto or automated manual	No normal gearbox to shift
Braking	Service brakes plus engine brake or retarder	Lifting off the pedal slows the truck and puts power back in the battery
Noise	Loud engine and exhaust	Very quiet, even at low speed
Servicing	Oil, filters, injectors and exhaust parts	Far fewer moving parts
Range	Long range on one tank	Up to about 300 km on a charge for a heavy prime mover
Weight	Lighter engine and driveline	Batteries add weight, often over the front axle

The range figure comes from Volvo for its FH Electric prime mover. Volvo says it can pull up to 50 tonnes gross combination weight (Volvo Group Australia).

Range goes down with heavy loads, hills and hot days. It works the same way as fuel use in a diesel.

Who Is Using Electric Trucks in Australia?

The first users are big freight companies, councils and bus companies. They run set routes and go back to a depot each night, so charging is easy to plan.

Freight companies

Linfox has the biggest heavy electric truck fleet in Australia. It ordered 30 Volvo electric trucks, made up of 29 FH Electric prime movers and one FM Electric rigid (Fleet Owner).

Each prime mover is expected to do 250 to 300 km a day. It then charges overnight at a Linfox depot (The Driven).

In July 2026, the first Australian-built heavy electric trucks came off Volvo's line in Brisbane. They went straight to work with Linfox (Prime Mover Magazine).

Team Global Express runs 60 electric vehicles and ANC runs 112 electric trucks of different sizes (CleanTechnica).

Garbage trucks

Garbage runs suit electric trucks well. The routes are short, there is lots of stop and start, and the trucks work in quiet streets.

From 1 July 2026, the City of Casey in Melbourne's south east switched to six fully electric compactor trucks for hard rubbish. Electric tray trucks help out, with diesel trucks kept on standby for busy times (City of Casey).

Casey has used electric compactors since 2019. The council says rising diesel costs were one reason it made the move.

Buses

Buses are changing faster than any other heavy vehicle. Every new public transport bus ordered in Victoria from 1 July 2025 must be zero emission (The Driven).

Melbourne's new bus contracts will bring in 600 battery electric buses by 2035. Kinetic's Preston depot will switch its whole fleet to zero emission buses over its 10 year contract (Kinetic).

How Fast Are Companies Switching to Electric Trucks?

Slowly. Less than 1 in every 100 new trucks sold in Australia is electric, but about 1 in 4 new cars and buses is.

Vehicle type	Share of new sales that are electric (2026)
Cars	25.8% (first half of 2026, includes plug-in hybrids)
Buses	26%
Vans	1%
Trucks	0.1% to 0.6%

Sources: The Driven and The Conversation, both reporting the Electric Vehicle Council's State of EVs 2026 report.

The Electric Vehicle Council calls Australia a "global laggard" on electric trucks (ABC News). Buses moved faster because state governments set targets and paid for the switch.

Don't expect the diesel fleet to disappear overnight. The average truck in Australia is around 15 years old, so trucks bought today will still be working in the 2040s (Volvo Group Australia).

Are Electric Trucks Worth It?

Electric trucks cost more to buy but less to run. Whether they pay off depends on how far the truck goes, where it charges and how long the owner keeps it.

The price to buy

An electric truck can cost up to twice as much as a diesel truck, but the gap is getting smaller (The Driven).

The UK and Canada give operators up to $250,000 per truck to help them switch. Australia gives no direct help to buy one.

The cost to run

Electric trucks cost much less to power and service over their life, especially if they charge from solar at the depot (Volvo Group Australia). There is no oil to change and far fewer parts to wear out.

With diesel hitting $3 a litre in 2026, the savings are easier to see (The Driven).

Who comes out ahead

The savings add up over many years, often 15 or more. That suits a big fleet, but it is much harder for an owner driver who needs the truck to pay its way from day one.

What Is Holding Electric Trucks Back?

The main problems are price, weight rules and charging. Most trucking businesses are small, and these problems hit them hardest.

Too expensive for small operators. Many trucks that deliver to supermarkets belong to family businesses with one or two trucks (The Driven). Paying twice as much for a truck is a big ask.
Weight limits. Batteries add weight over the steer axle, and the usual limit is 6.5 tonnes. Victoria now lets electric heavy trucks carry up to 7.5 tonnes on the steer axle on approved roads (The Driven).
Different rules in each state. Freight crosses state borders, but the rules often don't match (Volvo Group Australia).
Charging. Heavy trucks mostly charge at their own depot. There is almost no public charging built for trucks yet (ABC News).
Range on long runs. Right now, electric trucks suit city, regional and depot to depot work better than long interstate runs.

What Do Electric Trucks Mean for Drivers?

You don't need a special licence to drive an electric truck or bus. You need the same licence class you would need for a diesel of the same size and weight.

How electric trucks drive

Most drivers get used to them fast. Here is what changes behind the wheel:

Regen braking. Lifting off the accelerator slows the truck down and charges the battery. You use the foot brake less.
Instant power. The motor gives full pulling power straight away. Go easy on the pedal with a heavy load.
Very quiet. People on foot and on bikes may not hear you coming. Take extra care in depots, loading bays and side streets.
Watching your charge. You keep an eye on the battery like you watch the fuel gauge. Hills, heat and heavy loads all use more power.
High voltage safety. Electric trucks have high voltage parts. Always follow the maker's rules and your depot's charging steps.

Check your licence conditions

Most electric trucks don't have a manual gearbox, so drivers trained on a manual can drive them. If you did your heavy vehicle test in an auto, check if your licence has a condition on what gearboxes you can drive.

Drivers are still needed

Electric trucks change what powers the truck, not the need for good drivers. Every electric prime mover, garbage truck and bus still needs a licensed driver behind the wheel.

The Future of Trucking in Australia

Diesel trucks will do most of the work for years yet. But electric trucks and buses will take on more city, regional and depot work every year.

Buses will lead the way. Around 4,500 diesel buses in Victoria's public fleet are set to switch to zero emission over time (Victorian Government).

Trucks are now being built here too. Volvo is making heavy electric trucks in Brisbane and has already delivered more than 80 electric trucks to Australian customers (Volvo Group Australia).

How fast things move will depend on the government. The industry wants help with the cost of trucks and depot chargers, plus weight rules that match other countries (The Driven).

The bottom line for drivers is simple. The trucks are changing, but the licence classes, road rules and the need for skilled drivers are not.

Get the right licence for the job

Diesel or electric, you still need the right heavy vehicle licence. Transport Driver Training can help you get on the road.

We train drivers for MR, HR, HC and MC truck licences, plus bus and forklift licences. See all our heavy vehicle licence courses.

View our licence courses

Electric Truck FAQs

Are there electric trucks in Australia?

Yes. There are around 30 electric truck models over 4.5 tonnes for sale, and companies like Linfox, Team Global Express and ANC already use them.

What electric trucks are available now?

Models range from light trucks like the Fuso eCanter up to Volvo's FL, FE, FM and FH Electric trucks. Volvo says all four of its models meet Australian rules and are already on our roads.

What is the best electric truck?

There is no one best electric truck. The right truck depends on the job, the load, how far it goes each day and where it can charge.

Are EV trucks worth it?

They can be for fleets with set routes that charge at a depot. They can cost up to twice as much to buy, so it takes years for fuel and service savings to pay it back.

Are electric trucks good for towing?

Yes, heavy electric prime movers are built to pull semitrailers. The Volvo FH Electric can pull up to 50 tonnes gross combination weight, but heavy loads cut the range.

How far can an electric truck go on one charge?

It depends on the truck and the job. Volvo says its FH Electric can do up to about 300 km, and Linfox plans on 250 to 300 km a day.

Are Nikola electric trucks in Australia?

No. Nikola went bankrupt in the United States in early 2025, so its trucks are not an option here. [CONFIRM before publishing]

Do I need a different licence to drive an electric truck?

No. You need the licence class that matches the truck's GVM, axles and trailers, the same as a diesel truck.

Sources

Chris Davis

Head of Sales & Business Development

Chris writes about trucking, logistics, and transport industry trends.

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