Toll Group has announced a $67 million investment in the rollout and operation of 28 battery electric heavy vehicles, a move that will position the company as Australia’s largest operator of electric heavy vehicles in the logistics sector. The investment includes the establishment of more than 30 new charging ports across eight customer sites and two Toll facilities.
Fleet Investment
The electric fleet will comprise 10 Volvo FM electric prime movers and 18 Volvo FE electric rigids, representing a significant step beyond the small-scale EV trials that have characterised the Australian freight sector to date. The upfront capital expenditure for the program sits at $20.3 million, with the balance of the $67 million covering ongoing operational and infrastructure costs over the life of the deployment.
The vehicles will service key customer accounts including Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Woolworths, Bluescope, and Origin Energy. By embedding the electric fleet directly into established customer supply chains, Toll is taking a demand-led approach rather than running isolated pilot programs.
Once fully operational, the fleet is projected to abate 1,810 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum from Toll’s total fleet emissions. While that figure represents a fraction of the company’s overall carbon footprint, it establishes the commercial and operational viability of heavy electric vehicles in real-world Australian logistics conditions.
Government Support
The investment has been backed by a $9 million commitment from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) under its Driving the Nation Program. The ARENA funding reduces the financial risk of early adoption and reflects the federal government’s interest in accelerating the decarbonisation of road freight, which remains one of the hardest transport segments to electrify due to vehicle weight, range requirements, and charging infrastructure gaps.
The public-private funding model is significant. It signals that government agencies see heavy vehicle electrification as a viable pathway rather than a speculative technology bet, and that commercial operators like Toll are willing to co-invest at scale.
Broader Decarbonisation Strategy
The electric vehicle program sits within a wider decarbonisation strategy at Toll. The company is also investing over $200 million to upgrade 25 per cent of its conventional fleet with more fuel-efficient vehicles, a program expected to deliver a 5 to 10 per cent reduction in emissions from those assets. Together, these initiatives indicate that Toll is pursuing a dual-track approach: deploying zero-emission vehicles where the use case supports it while simultaneously improving the efficiency of its diesel fleet where electrification is not yet practical.
Industry Impact
Toll’s commitment raises the benchmark for competing carriers. With 28 heavy electric vehicles entering commercial service across major customer sites, the program moves beyond proof-of-concept and into operational reality. For shippers with Scope 3 emissions reporting obligations, the availability of electric freight services from a major carrier provides a tangible decarbonisation lever.
The charging infrastructure component is equally important. By installing more than 30 charging ports across 10 sites, Toll is building the foundation for future fleet expansion rather than treating this as a one-off deployment. As vehicle range and battery technology continue to improve, the infrastructure investment positions Toll to scale its electric fleet without repeating the capital outlay for charging.
For the broader Australian logistics industry, the message is clear: heavy vehicle electrification is transitioning from trial phase to commercial deployment, and the operators who invest early will hold a structural advantage as emissions regulations tighten and customer sustainability requirements become non-negotiable.
Sources: Toll Group — Investment Announcement, Sustainability Magazine — Toll Decarbonisation, EV Magazine — Toll Heavy Electric Fleet