Geodis deploys third electric truck to move Volvo cargo in Australia
Transport and logistics company Geodis has announced the addition of a third electric truck to its fleet in Australia. The new Volvo FM Electric Prime Mover truck is set to be deployed for full container loads between Port Botany and Volvo's warehouse in Sydney.
The Volvo FM Electric Prime Mover is Geodis' third electric truck to be deployed in Australia
Geodis
The addition of a third electric truck – the Volvo FM Electric Prime Mover – to Geodis' Australian fleet will allow the logistics provider to take on more demanding heavy freight activities, it has said.
The truck will be primarily deployed for full container loads, carrying Volvo cargo between Port Botany in Sydney and Volvo's parts distribution centre in Minto, southwest Sydney, on approximately 850 trips per year.
These 850 trips comprise around 63% of the truck's annual capacity, with the remaining capacity set to be used to support Geodis' retail and e-commerce logistics operations, based out of its new Minto warehouse next to the Volvo facility.
Geodis noted that the Volvo FM Electric Prime Mover is designed to meet the demanding requirements of container haulage, while its zero tailpipe emissions and reduced noise profile provide environmental and community benefits for journeys along metropolitan routes.
Geodis partnered with Volvo Australia in February 2023 on a pilot project testing the first fully electric truck for freight forwarding within the Australian market. The two companies set out to assess factors including driving range and suitability for the transport of heavy loads across long distances.
Ultimately, it is hoped the project will allow Geodis to significantly decarbonise its road transport fleet and completely remove fine particles and nitrogen oxide from emissions at the exhaust. The company hopes to use these electric trucks to support long-term customers with sustainable delivery solutions, complementing existing freight forwarding services across the local market.
The first fully electric truck transported Volvo parts from Geodis’ Australian headquarters in Matraville, New South Wales, to Volvo's Minto warehouse. In May 2025, Geodis took delivery of its second Volvo fully electric truck; this second truck was used to transport Volvo’s truck components and sub-assemblies from Brisbane airport to the Volvo Wacol production facility in Brisbane.
Investing in skills and infrastructure
Alongside its electric vehicle project with Volvo, Geodis invested in building a robust ecosystem to ensure future fully electric truck deployment can be optimised across its Australian road transport network.
With the support of Volvo Australia’s e-mobility team, Geodis has focused on upskilling its drivers with EV training, as well as designing holistic route and load planning processes to use the trucks in the most efficient way possible.
Geodis also brought on board partners like Goodman Group to install solar panels and charging infrastructure across its facilities in Australia to help pave the way for the further fleet electrification.
The trucks themselves are powered by ABB’s state-of-the-art charging infrastructure, which not only accelerates charging but also enables the vehicle to draw power from existing solar infrastructure.
“Our experience with electric vehicles is giving us a clearer understanding of where electrification can deliver real benefits for our customers and our operations,” said Stuart Asplet, cluster managing director for the Pacific, Korea and Japan at GEODIS. "With the Volvo FM Electric, we are taking that experience into the more demanding environment of container haulage."
"This is an important step in expanding the role of electric transport within our fleet and building practical, scalable solutions for customers than can contribute to lower-emission supply chains," he added.
Globally, Geodis has set two clear targets it hopes to achieve by 2030, against a 2022 baseline: a 42% absolute reduction in emissions from its direct activities and the energy its purchases, and a reduction of at least 25% in outsourced transport services.
Meanwhile, Volvo Group Australia has committed to 100% fossil-free operations and vehicles from 2040, pursuing a three-pronged strategy to transport decarbonisation that combines use of battery-electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles running on renewable fuels to achieve its ambitions.
