Sydney-based logistics software startup Adiona Tech has released its “Connected Thinking” electric vehicle report, a data-driven response to the National Electric Vehicle Strategy, which is critical of the Federal Government’s focus on passenger vehicles instead of heavy trucks and commercial fleets.
The company says its data demonstrates that electrifying 10 small delivery trucks will eliminate as many emissions as 56 households purchasing an EV. According to Adiona Tech, large articulated trucks comprise one per cent of vehicles on Australian roads, yet produce 15 per cent of all vehicle emissions.
“Australia is already behind every other developed nation on electric vehicles, and while we’re playing catch up, we can’t forget the biggest emitters on the road: freight and transport vehicles,” says Adiona Tech founder and CEO Richard Savoie.
“The National Electric Vehicle Strategy is a start, but we need low-emissions zones yesterday. We need much bigger financial incentives for businesses to switch to more expensive EVs. Current grants barely bridge the gap. They are not sufficient to change peoples’ minds and change Australia’s roads.
“We cannot transform the national fleet of 20 million vehicles overnight so we need to make decisions that make the biggest difference for the lowest effort first. Frankly, the data shows consumer adoption of EVs should not be Australia’s number one priority; electrifying fleets is by far the most efficient way to reduce vehicle emissions.
“Every battery we put in a truck or van counts for five to 50 households buying an EV, and businesses often have fleets of hundreds of vehicles. Australia must prioritise the electrification of these vehicles that are on the road most, travel the longest distances, and are the least fuel efficient.”
Other key findings from the “Connected Thinking” report include:
- Articulated trucks travel six times more kilometres than a passenger car annually in Australia, use 40 times more fuel, and produce 50 times more CO2.
- Vehicles in NSW, Victoria and Queensland produce the most CO2 emissions.
- Northern Territory produces the least CO2 due to having the smallest distance travelled, but it is among the worst states or territories for fuel used per kilometre travelled.
- ACT is the most fuel-efficient state or territory in Australia.