Electronic work diary vs paper logbook isn’t really a legal question anymore. Both are allowed under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, and neither one is going away any time soon. The real question is whether your current system can actually survive an audit under the new PSOE standard, and for a lot of operators still running paper, the honest answer is probably not.
What the Law Actually Requires
The HVNL doesn’t force anyone onto an electronic work diary. A National Driver Work Diary, the paper duplicate-page book most drivers grew up using, is still a completely legal way to record work and rest hours. What’s changed isn’t the legal minimum. It’s what auditors are now checking for on top of that minimum.
If you’re not sure whether your drivers even need a work diary in the first place, that comes down to a specific distance threshold from their nominated base, measured as the crow flies rather than by road. Get that wrong and you’re either keeping records nobody asked for, or missing records you were legally required to keep.
Where Paper Logbooks Genuinely Fall Short
A paper work diary can tick the box for existing. That’s about as far as it goes.
Under the PSOE audit method (Present, Suitable, Operating, Effective), auditors aren’t just checking whether records exist somewhere. They’re checking whether the system is genuinely operating day to day and producing real evidence of compliance. A stack of completed paper diaries proves drivers filled in forms. It doesn’t prove nobody was quietly rounding 20 minutes off a rest break, or that the hours recorded actually match where the vehicle was.
The NHVR recorded close to 5,000 fatigue offences in 2025, and launched Operation Ambit in March 2026 specifically to go after fatigue and work diary breaches. That’s not a hypothetical enforcement risk. It’s the current climate paper-based operators are working in.
Where Electronic Work Diaries Actually Win
An EWD timestamps entries as they happen instead of relying on a driver’s memory at the end of a shift. It can flag a discrepancy automatically, say, a rest break logged at a location the GPS data shows the vehicle was still moving through. And when an auditor asks for records, you’re not digging through a filing cabinet or a driver’s glovebox. You’re pulling up a searchable digital record on the spot.
That combination (real-time accuracy, automatic discrepancy detection, and instant retrieval) is exactly what tends to separate a system that’s merely “Present” from one that’s actually “Operating” and “Effective” under a PSOE audit.
One thing worth being clear about: not every digital fatigue tool counts as an EWD. It only qualifies if it’s on the NHVR’s approved EWD register. A GPS platform with a “fatigue module” bolted on isn’t automatically the same thing, and presenting one as if it were during an audit won’t go well.
Electronic Work Diary vs Paper Logbook: Side by Side
Paper Logbook
Electronic Work Diary
Legal under the HVNL
Yes
Yes
Satisfies PSOE “Present”
Yes
Yes
Holds up at “Operating” and “Effective”
Rarely
Generally, yes
Catches discrepancies in real time
No
Yes
Retrieval speed during an audit
Slow
Fast
Needs NHVR approval to count as an EWD
N/A
Yes, check the register
Making the Switch Without Creating a Mess
Moving from paper to electronic doesn’t have to mean flipping a switch on the whole fleet overnight, and honestly, doing it that way tends to backfire.
Start with a small group, maybe five or ten drivers, and run it for a few weeks before rolling it out further. This surfaces the actual friction points (a driver who struggles with the app, a depot with patchy signal, a workflow step nobody thought about) while the stakes are still low.
It’s also worth running the old and new systems side by side for a short window rather than cutting over on a single day. Drivers get used to the new process while still having the paper backup they’re comfortable with, and you get a chance to compare the two data sets before fully committing.
Once you’re confident it’s working, pick a firm cutover date and stick to it. An indefinite parallel period defeats a lot of the point, since you end up maintaining two systems and nobody’s quite sure which record is the authoritative one if there’s ever a discrepancy.
And don’t skip training on the actual device or app. A lot of driver pushback on EWDs has nothing to do with the concept and everything to do with an unfamiliar interface nobody walked them through properly.
What It Actually Costs
Paper logbooks are cheap upfront, more or less the price of the diary itself. But that’s not the full cost picture. Someone still has to manually cross-check entries, chase down missing pages, and manually compile records if an audit ever comes knocking. None of that shows up on an invoice, but it’s real time and real risk.
Electronic work diaries usually come bundled into a broader fleet compliance platform rather than sold as a standalone product, and pricing varies a fair bit depending on what else is included. As a rough guide, fleet compliance software subscriptions in Australia tend to sit somewhere in the $25 to $60 per vehicle, per month range, though this depends heavily on the provider and which features you actually need.
The more useful way to think about it isn’t paper versus subscription cost in isolation. It’s the subscription cost against what a failed audit, a fatigue breach penalty, or a drawn-out CoR investigation actually costs when your paper records can’t back you up. Given the current fatigue duty penalty sits at $26,610 per offence, the maths tends to favour the system that can actually prove compliance, not just claim it.
So Which One Should You Actually Use?
If you’re running one or two trucks and your current paper system is genuinely tight, nobody’s forcing you to switch overnight. But the moment your fleet grows, or you’re going through an accreditation transition, or you’ve had even one fatigue-related close call, the calculation shifts fast. Paper can technically comply. It just can’t easily prove it, and proving it is increasingly the whole point.
FAQ
Is a paper work diary still legal under the HVNL?
Yes. There’s no requirement to use an electronic system. Paper National Driver Work Diaries remain a valid option.
Why would I bother switching if paper is still legal?
Because paper struggles to demonstrate the “Operating” and “Effective” parts of a PSOE audit. It can prove records exist, but not that your fatigue system is genuinely working day-to-day.
Does every digital fatigue app count as an approved EWD?
No. It only counts if it appears on the NHVR’s approved EWD register. A platform with fatigue features that isn’t on that register doesn’t legally replace a Written Work Diary.
What triggered the recent enforcement push on work diaries?
The NHVR recorded roughly 5,000 fatigue offences in 2025 and responded with Operation Ambit, launched in March 2026, aimed specifically at fatigue and work diary breaches.
How long do work diary records need to be kept?
Generally, three years from the date of creation, whether you’re using paper or electronic records.
Switching gears to EV transition is not as simple as flipping a switch, fleet operators are learning that the road to zero emission transport comes with speed bumps.
Just recently, Australia updated its National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, placing decarbonization at the core of its priorities, pushing fleets to rethink their reliance on diesel and transition toward cleaner alternatives.
Despite these shifts, adoption of EVs in commercial fleets remains gradual, with hybrid vehicles acting as a practical steppingstone.
Key Trends upon EV Transition
The Australian EV market is steadily gaining ground, but the pace of adoption in fleet operations is cautious.
Analysts project EVs will make up 10% of the market by 2025. Chinese OEMs like BYD and MG are offering cost-competitive and reliable models that appeal to both private and commercial buyers.
However, fleets are not just concerned with the vehicles themselves, they are equally concerned about where and how to keep them charged. Infrastructure hurdles remain one of the biggest bottlenecks.
EV transition challenges or barriers mentioned in this chart is what we are concerned at most.
While passenger EV users can often rely on public chargers, fleet operators require a blend of home charging for drivers, onsite charging for depots, and public charging for long-distance routes.
Without scalable, cost-efficient infrastructure, the economics of switching to EVs remain challenging. To bridge the gap, many fleet operators are sticking with hybrids as an interim solution.
These vehicles provide lower emissions without forcing companies to overhaul their fueling and maintenance strategies overnight, giving fleets breathing room as charging networks mature.
Industry Response on EV Transition
Despite the challenges, the industry is far from standing still. Companies like GoZero Group are expanding their zero-emission vehicle offerings, signaling that momentum is building.
This push is being accelerated by acquisitions such as United H2’s USD 256 million purchase of GoZero, which underscores the appetite for innovation and investment in Australia’s fleet decarbonization journey.
But with new opportunities come new risks. One of the most pressing concerns for fleet managers is residual value uncertainty.
Industry experts are focusing on evaluating holistic cost on a long-term sustainability approach.
Unlike traditional combustion vehicles, where resale values are relatively predictable, EVs and hybrids still carry volatility due to evolving technology, battery life concerns, and market demand shifts.
As a result, fleet owners are being forced to look beyond upfront costs and instead evaluate total cost of ownership (TCO), factoring in energy costs, maintenance, incentives, and depreciation.
This approach is reshaping procurement strategies. Businesses that once prioritized immediate cost savings are now running more holistic cost analyses, recognizing that long term sustainability is both a compliance requirement and a potential cost advantage.
Manage Vehicle Software: Resolving EV Transition Challenges
While the EV transition is underway, challenges still persist from infrastructure shortfalls to managing cost pressures. This is where Manage Vehicle software helps transportation and logistics businesses stay in control, even during uncertainty.
Manage Vehicle’s fully data driven fleet management system can resolve EV transition challenges during road operations.
Here are three key features of Manage Vehicle that empower fleet operators:
EV Hybrid Mixed Fleet Management: Track performance, fuel or energy consumption, and emissions across both traditional and electric vehicles, giving managers visibility into real-world transition progress.
Route and Charging Optimization: Plan trips efficiently by integrating available charging infrastructure with fleet schedules, reducing downtime and range anxiety for drivers.
Predictive Maintenance and TCO Tracking: Stay ahead of potential issues by monitoring battery health, component wear, and operating costs, helping businesses make informed choices about when and how to expand EV adoption.
With these tools, Manage Vehicle ensures that logistics businesses can keep running smoothly today while confidently preparing for tomorrow’s electric future.
The last 18 months have been one of the most significant periods in Australia’s EV transition. In 2024, the Federal Government passed legislation to introduce a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) for light vehicles.
To be implemented in 2025, the NVES will play a significant role in helping Australians have more choices in cost-competitive low and zero-emission options, including electric vehicles.
The need for a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard is two-fold: i) helping Australians to access the best low and zero-emission vehicles to reduce their transport costs; and ii) reducing our national carbon emissions.
Australia’s EV Transition: Economic and Environmental Benefits
Australia is entirely dependent on fuel from other countries, exposing Australians to the fickle tides of the global oil market, which usually results in higher prices for oil and other fuels at the pump.
Australia’s EV transition plan, however, provide Aussies with the means to cut fuel bills and significantly maximise their use of Australian-made energy.
The average Australian drives around 40 kilometres per day. However, those living in outer suburbs or regional areas drive even greater distances and stand to save much more from the switch to EVs due to their lower running costs.
Reducing Carbon Emission
The second significant benefit of the NVES is its role in cutting our national carbon emissions. Transport makes up about one-fifth of Australia’s emissions, with the vast majority coming from cars, followed by trucks.
As current trends suggest, besides the rapid decarbonisation of economic sectors such as energy, the transport sector will soon become Australia’s top-emitting sector.
While much technology is already available for decarbonising ports, NVES will help Australians decarbonise the transport sector by providing options to reduce vehicle carbon emissions.
Globally, the adoption of EVs continues to increase, with EVs now comprising over 18 per cent of new light vehicle sales around the world.
In Australia, EV uptake hits new records yearly, reflecting increased recognition of their significant economic, environmental, and health advantages. In 2024, Australians have already purchased over 100,000 EVs – an annual record.
Expanding Charging Infrastructure
Another crucial element that contributed to recent EV growth in Australia has been the expansion of our country’s national charging network. In July 2024, there were over thousand locations across the country offering fast or ultra-fast charging.
The EVC strongly recommends continued investment in public charging through initiatives such as kerbside charging and local governments providing publicly available charging.
Alongside the growth of public charging, governments must continue examining opportunities to provide charging opportunities to Australians without access to off-street parking and those living in multi-storey buildings.
Challenges and Setbacks in Australia’s EV Transition
While the passing of the NVES and increasing appetite for EVs are both promising developments, over the past 18 months the sector has also faced several setbacks and challenges.
Premature Cessation of Incentives
First, the EVC notes that several states, namely NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, have prematurely ceased offering purchase incentives for EVs.
To meet sales and carbon emission reduction targets set by these governments, the EVC strongly encourages all Australian governments to actively support EV uptake until at least 30 per cent of EV sales are achieved nationally and/or our recommended national target of 1 million EVs in the fleet.
This approach draws on international examples showing how sustained incentives have successfully pushed EV adoption to critical mass.
Experts say that the EV market will sustain itself beyond this threshold without the need for financial incentives. That’s why experts anticipate a higher adoption of EVs in this market than others in the same period.
Purchase incentives are always temporary, but when withdrawn prematurely, and abruptly, they risk shocking the market. The government should carry out a planned and progressive phaseout of incentives to smooth the transition.
For now, however, Australian governments need to come back to the table and consider reasonable incentives to continue to drive uptake, including support for Australians to purchase used EVs.
Addressing Mis- and Disinformation
To support Australians in transitioning to low and zero-emission vehicles, we need to provide accurate information on the options and benefits of the transition.
As we see across many fields, the rise of mis- and disinformation information on electric vehicles stymies the transition and undermines community action.
Governments, industry and non-government organisations acknowledge the impact of mis- and misinformation and work together to counteract it with evidence and compelling, narrative-based stories that explain how the transition to electric vehicles will help each Australian.
Looking Forward to the EV Policy
While the EV transition has seen significant progress in recent years, there remains a need for all levels of government to develop nationally consistent policies to increase the supply of EVs into the country and alleviate barriers to electrification across the transport sector.
Developing a National Strategy
The Federal Government’s development of a Net Zero Transport Roadmap offers promise. The EVC must develop a holistic net zero transport strategy across the transport system.
This plan needs to consider options across the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework to reduce emissions.
Drivers will require all three approaches, but many international experts and agencies recognise that the electrification of transport is the key technology shift needed for this sector to achieve net zero.
Economic Opportunities
Australia’s EV transition must occur in the next 10-15 years for new vehicle sales to provide sufficient time for the entire fleet to transition to electric drivetrains by, or ideally before, 2050.
It is equally vital that we harness the significant economic opportunities that the global EV transition provides for Australia, including pathways to develop new industries within the battery and vehicle value chains.
An embrace of the holistic lifecycle of EVs and nuanced industry policy in this globalised market offers the promise of domestic jobs in battery manufacturing and recycling and EV technical skills, to name just a few.
The EVC strongly encourages federal and state governments to grasp these opportunities for the the benefit of economic resilience and local jobs.
State of EVs 2024
The 2024 State of EVs report provides our latest annual assessment of the Australian federal, state and territory government’s performance concerning electric vehicle policy, combined with a local market update on light EV sales, model availability and charging infrastructure deployment.
This edition builds on our 2023 Australian Electric Vehicle Industry Recap, released in February 2024. We will continue to release full-year industry recaps in the first quarter of each year and State of EVs reports in the second half of each year.
The Electric Vehicle Council looks forward to continuing to work with Australian governments, industry, consumers and our members to champion Australia’s transition to an electrified transport sector.
Electric Heavy Vehicle Model Availability with Australia’s EV Transition
In the coming years, establishing a new vehicle efficiency standard for light electric vehicles will be a catalyst for increasing model options and the availability of cars at lower prices in the country.
Increasing Model Availability
There are roughly 18 distinct models of electric trucks (over 4.5t) currently on offer. The variations in weight, wheelbase and body type in the Australian market increase the range of available options.
Rigid electric trucks predominate, accounting for over 80% of available variants, mainly in the light-/medium-duty segments.
Electric trucks are attracting strong interest from commercial fleets for their potential to reduce fuel, lower total ownership costs and attract customers seeking zero-emission freight.
Given current battery technology and vehicle range, most models target urban delivery and ‘last mile’ applications.
Nevertheless, 2024 has seen more heavy-duty rigid trucks and prime mover models, opening up a greater range of options for first-mover fleets.
Regulatory Barriers
The market’s growth remains limited by Australia’s unique regulatory requirements that are not aligned with international standards.
For example, Australia’s maximum allowable truck width remains 5cm narrower than the USA, effectively preventing many American models from being sold in Australia.
State, Territory and local governments also have a key role to play in advocating for national regulatory reforms and facilitating access to electric trucks on state and local government roads.
Specifically relaxing mass limits and creating consistent and permanent road access rules across jurisdictions is a pre-condition for attracting a greater range of electric truck models to our market.
Without these changes, Australia will continue to miss out on the broadest range of electric freight vehicles that are available overseas.
What’s Australia’s EV Transition Strategy?
The dedicated strategy for the EV is primarily to act as a government commitment towards electrification and provide a roadmap for industry and consumers.
Strong EV strategies should include specific supply and demand-side measures adopted to enhance EV adoption and a straightforward implementation pathway.
It is equally imperative that they set concrete targets that match national and international climate objectives to ensure consistency in direction across policies in the long term.
Although almost all of the states and territories in Australia have developed their own EV strategic plans, the comprehensiveness of these plans varies widely.
Importantly, EV strategies should not be solely limited to light vehicles. There is a pressing need for the electrification of heavy vehicles to be considered and planned as part of EV strategies or separate electric heavy vehicle strategies.
There continues to be a significant gap in the approach across most jurisdictions in Australia.
Electric Vehicle Strategy for Freight
The gold standard in freight strategy for electric vehicles is well-targeted commitments and actions that increase the availability and adoption of electric trucks and vans.
Through this plan, electric trucks and vans are available. The freight strategy will achieve its goals of electrifying freight transport.
Supporting Diverse Needs
Such a method may comprise sales mandates, fleet targets, phase-out dates, emission regulations, and possible emission reduction goals.
A successful strategy should also consider the diverse needs of the freight industry, acknowledging variations in duty cycles, business models, transported goods, and operational requirements.
This strategy indicates support for different categories of electric vehicles- from light commercial electric vehicle applications to heavy-duty electric vehicles- to satisfy individual applications.
Successful strategies should actively work to remove regulatory barriers that limit the supply of electric trucks or damage the operational viability of integrating them into commercial fleets.
Transport & Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap
The Australian government is advancing a roadmap and action plan for the transport sector as part of its six other sectoral strategies to achieve up to 43% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The Roadmap offers a valuable opportunity to get the electric freight strategy right. However, the Roadmap has not articulated targeted actions or commitments aligned with national emissions reduction goals.
While other energy sources – such as low-carbon liquid fuels and hybrid hybridisation- play a role, battery electric power is the primary pathway for decarbonising transport.
The gold standard for accelerating fleet turnover is providing tailored incentives, tax concessions, and other financial support designed to accelerate the electrification of the on-road vehicle fleet.
Strategies should focus on incentivising the replacement of diesel vehicles for new electric trucks and vans, either through ‘cash for clunker’-style trade-in programs or lowering capex premiums for new cars and their chargers.
Incentives for Fleets
These incentives are significant for larger operators whose fleet renewal strategies can result in large order volumes, driving overall sales and market certainty.
Fleet-specific programs should facilitate the procurement of various vans and trucks suited to distinct freight applications and aim to minimise penalties compared to equivalent diesel vehicles.
Incentives should be structured to ensure that EV adoption by fleets contributes to developing a viable second-hand truck market, helping to make EV vans and trucks more affordable to other commercial fleets.
NSW Electric Vehicle Fleets Incentive
The NSW Government offers periodic grant funding to help fleet operators transition to EVs. The incentive program actively covers part of the total cost of ownership gap between a battery-electric vehicle (cars, SUVs, utes).
An optional contribution towards EV smart chargers is also available under the scheme.
EWC launched the latest funding round in November 2024 with a competitive bid funding stream and $13m in ‘kickstart funding’ for fleets with fewer vehicles. You can access further information at the NSW Climate and Energy Action website.
Financial Incentives for Targeting Electric Trucks
The gold standard for incentives targeting truck and van customers are policies that reduce the price premium of EVs over their diesel equivalents.
While electric trucks and vans reduce running costs over their lifetime, the upfront sticker price of current electric models remains prohibitive for many smaller operators.
Point-of-sale incentives (e.g. vouchers, GST/stamp duty exemptions), tax concessions (e.g. instant asset write-off, accelerated depreciation), low-interest finance or registration discounts can lower the barriers to purchasing a commercial EV.
Small businesses own the vast majority of Australian trucks. Around 70% of the drivers are owner-operators with just one vehicle, but so far, efforts to support electric trucks and vans have largely excluded these owner-drivers.
Financing in major corporate fleets has relied on isolated trials and pilot projects, resulting in fragmentation. ARENA has been one of the only financiers of heavy EV deployments.
However, grant application processes are too lengthy for smaller fleets and funding amounts are typically not aligned with SME budgets.
Patchwork is a significant step to progress, and coordination and consistency are what it lacks largely.
Fund a cohesive collective approach to upscaling the fleets, dominating almost the entire freight task in Australia, as this would enable the energiser to acquire the small fleets for a robust market establishment of electric trucks and vans.
IKEA 100% Zero Emission Truck Deliveries
IKEA Australia is working with delivery partners (ANC Delivers, Kings/Capital Transport and All Purpose Transport) to secure its ambition for 100% zero-emission truck delivery to customers by 2025.
Its delivery partners work with an owner-operator and subcontractor model as they transition IKEA delivery vehicles to electric vans and light/medium-duty trucks.
As of November 2024, IKEA and its delivery partners achieved 60% zero emission deliveries, making Australia the seventh most electrified IKEA fleet globally.
You can read more about IKEA’s zero-emission delivery commitment here at A zero-emissions future.
Electric Heavy Vehicle Road Access in Australia’s EV Transition
The gold standard for improving road access for electric trucks is a supportive regulatory environment that proactively facilitates operations and route planning for early adopter fleets.
Providing certainty over where the heaviest electric trucks can operate is an essential pre-condition for increasing sales and strengthening market confidence.
Access restrictions on heavy vehicles (e.g. maximum steer axle masses) disproportionately affect electric trucks and next-generation cars that provide superior safety, environmental and efficiency benefits to the community.
In recognition of these advantages, road managers should provide regulatory concessions on mass restrictions.
Improving Regulatory Certainty
Europe generally allows up to 10t on the steer axle, and the USA allows 9t (plus an additional 900kg for EVs); in Australia, an initial concession to just 8t would start to give us access to a greater range of electric trucks currently on offer overseas.
Road managers with pre-existing arrangements on key network parts actively allow over-massing vehicles, which can quickly adapt to heavy electric trucks.
It is critical, however, that concessions and access maps form an integrated network that is operationally valuable for trucking fleets.
This road map will require proactive coordination across federal, state and local road managers; otherwise, any concessions risk creating a disjointed patchwork of access arrangements.
Queensland’s Zero Emission Heavy Vehicle Network Map
Since March 2024, Queensland has designated a dedicated access regime for zero-emission vehicles heavier than their diesel counterparts.
The Zero Emission Heavy Vehicle Network Map opens access to EVs with a steer axle mass as high as 8t to key parts of the freight network in South East Queensland.
So far, the network comprises only state-controlled roads. However, reports indicate it is the first in a series of access changes while researchers further investigate the scheme’s impact.
Education and Awareness Initiatives for Electric Trucks and Vans
The gold standard in education and awareness initiatives for electric trucks and vans involves proactive, targeted campaigns to inform fleet businesses about the opportunities of electric commercial vehicles and how best to take advantage of them.
Addressing Misconceptions
This knowledge involves countering people’s fallacies regarding electric trucks, such as ‘no range anxiety,’ ‘charging infrastructure,’ ‘different makes available,’ etc.
It also measures the cost or the advantage in reputation that could accrue to the owner-operator with a change to electric trucks in a fleet.
Test drives or demonstrations should allow the experience of firsthand electric trucks to businesses for programs, which can significantly enhance industry professionals’ confidence in the technology.
Such appendices as vehicle pollution labels may clarify further and weigh the argument for EV freight more strongly by showing how switching to electric alternatives would affect the environment.
Tasmania’s Smarter Fleets Program
Since 2015, the Tasmanian Government has taken a proactive approach to raising awareness about EVs. The Smarter Fleets Program provides dedicated training, resources and tailored support for fleet managers in Australia’s EV transition.
The Tasmanian Government funded a dedicated program for heavy vehicle fleets between 2018 and 2020, supporting truck operators in Tasmania to improve efficiency, reduce fuel expenditure and cut their carbon emissions.
Participating fleets received tailored advice, including fleet efficiency opportunities and the chance to share technical expertise. More information about the initiative is available here at Tasmanian Government’s Smarter Fleets Program.
Data Sharing on Vehicle Registration and Driving/Charging Patterns
A critical aspect of enabling the transition to electric trucks and vans is regularly published anonymised registration data at a detailed geographic level.
Accessing open and detailed information on the existing truck fleet is challenging, hindering effective planning and coordination for electrification efforts.
A dedicated data-sharing effort coordinated across jurisdictions will increase transparency around freight decarbonisation and provide valuable insights for policy development, planning, and future transport and energy modelling.
Dedicated Charging for Heavy Vehicles
Dedicated charging for heavy vehicles requires significant electrical infrastructure, including high-powered charging equipment (~1.5MW), new switchboards, large network connections and/or new substations.
Heavy vehicles also need space to manoeuvre and pull up alongside EV chargers, particularly when towing trailers.
Governments, CPOs, Landholders, and DNSP/TNSPs must work together to identify locations that make sense for this application and intersect with sufficient power supply to allow solutions to scale.
NSW, Victoria, and Queensland are leading in electrifying bus fleets and bus depots, with the NSW zero-emissions bus program and the Vic Zero Emissions Bus Trial opening its first electric bus depot in February.
The Queensland government plans to build more depots for its electric buses program following the completion of its first all-electric depot in North Lakes in February.
Sharing of Charging Infrastructure Data
DNSPs would find it helpful to know the locations of EV charging infrastructure installed on their network for electricity network planning.
Researchers need to do more work to figure out the most efficient way to collect this data to increase the visibility of the locations of EVs and charging infrastructure.
Moreover, there are challenges around the appropriate pathway to achieving this outcome. In the coming years, the progressive deployment of bi-directional chargers will increase their importance.
Australia’s EV Transition Appendices of Electric Trucks
Heavy vehicles encompass large transport vehicles such as trucks, buses, and certain vans, typically exceeding 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass (with some exceptions, such as lightbox trucks weighing 3.5-4.5 tonnes).
The range of trucks varies significantly depending on load, body configuration, road conditions, and other variables. Consult the manufacturer’s website directly for accurate range estimations.
The annual State of Electric Vehicles report of electric trucks range differs substantially with load, body configuration, road conditions and other variables. | Source: Electric Vehicle Council (EVC)
The transition to EVs in Australia is excellent for reducing emissions and ensuring an eco-friendly future for the country.
Raising awareness, investing in infrastructure, and building partnerships will bring great strides toward adoption; the transformation will place clean transportation at the core of its agenda for the nation.
