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https://thedriven.io/2025/07/21/australia-will-need-a-lot-of-big-charging-hubs-arena-says-electrifying-road-freight-no-longer-optional/>
"The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has published the country’s
first national blueprint for the electrification of its road freight industry,
which highlights the need for 165 heavy vehicle charging hubs and upgrades to
energy transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Developed over a period of 12 months with input from over 35 stakeholders, the
new Electrifying Road Freight report examines the challenges of transitioning
Australia’s road-freight industry to battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Currently, according to the report, Australia’s road freight industry
contributes 8.6 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) but also
accounts for over 80 per cent of freight emissions and around one-third of the
country’s total transport emissions – equivalent to 36 million tonnes of CO₂
each year.
And with freight expected to grow by 77 per cent by the middle of the century,
it is imperative that attention is turned immediately towards electrifying this
sector if Australia is to meet its national climate goals.
As ARENA states, “Electrifying this critical sector is no longer optional, but
essential.”
The report breaks down Australia’s road freight into three core use cases –
urban freight, intrastate freight, and interstate freight, with urban freight
representing the most immediate opportunity for electrification.
It says urban freight is tailor made for immediate electrification due to the
available vehicle types, smaller distances travelled, and operational patterns
– not to mention the presence of electrified urban freight fleets already in
operation.
Conversely, intrastate and interstate freight represent medium- to longer-term
opportunities and require further assessment to determine key routes and
charging locations, as well as market development.
Underlying the specific use cases, however, is the need to ensure that the
national energy grid is capable of servicing the additional energy demands
entailed in a fully electrified road sector."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
