Volvo Group Australia has rolled the first Australian-made electric trucks off its production line in Wacol, Queensland, marking a significant step for local heavy vehicle manufacturing and the transition to zero-tailpipe emissions freight.
The trucks are the first OEM electric trucks manufactured in Australia. They were built at Volvo’s Wacol facility in Brisbane, where Volvo has manufactured trucks for Australian conditions for more than 50 years.
The milestone was marked on 8 July 2026 at an event attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Roger Alm, Executive Vice President of Volvo Group and President of Volvo Trucks, Volvo Group Australia President & CEO Martin Merrick, Linfox CEO Mark Mazurek, Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro, and Electric Vehicle Council CEO Julie Delvecchio.
Australia was selected by Volvo as the first country outside Europe to manufacture electric trucks. To prepare for production, Volvo brought in international experts to train and upskill Australian workers, with the local team now building battery-electric heavy vehicles to the same standard as Volvo factories worldwide.
Roger Alm said the decision to build electric trucks locally reflected Volvo’s long-term view of the Australian market.
“Australia is an important market for Volvo Trucks, and building electric trucks here is a clear sign of our long-term commitment. It reflects Volvo Group’s confidence in Australian manufacturing and in the people behind it,” said Alm.
“We are convinced that electric trucks will play a key role in the future of transport. Producing them in Australia will help drive the sustainability transformation, while bringing us even closer to our customers and their needs.”
The Australian-built electric trucks will enter the Linfox fleet, giving the milestone a practical fleet application from the start.
Linfox CEO Mark Mazurek said the company was proud to support local manufacturing while continuing its own fleet sustainability program.
“As an Australian owned company, Linfox is proud to support the local economy deploying the first Australian made electric trucks into our fleet. We have been an early adopter of electric vehicles, beginning our sustainability journey more than a decade ago,” said Mazurek.
“Today’s milestone is a prime example of what the industry can achieve in partnership with local manufacturers and government. These Australian made electric prime movers will ensure we continue to service our customers with a reliable fleet that is safe, secure, efficient and sustainable.”
For fleet operators, the significance of the announcement goes beyond the first trucks leaving the production line. Local production could help improve confidence in heavy electric vehicle supply, technical support, skills development and long-term parts availability.
It also demonstrates that electric heavy vehicles are moving from pilot programs and imports into a more mature phase of local manufacturing and deployment.
Volvo Group Australia President & CEO Martin Merrick said the Wacol team had shown that Australian manufacturing could support the next stage of heavy vehicle technology.
“This is a proud day for Volvo Trucks and for Australian manufacturing. For more than 50 years we have built Volvo trucks for Australian conditions here in Wacol, and today we have built the first electric truck ever manufactured by an OEM in this country. It proves what our people and our facilities are capable of. These trucks were built right here by an Australian team we have trained to a global standard. This is proof of concept, and a foundation we are ready to build on,” said Merrick.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the project aligned with the Federal Government’s focus on local manufacturing and clean energy.
“My Government is backing a future made in Australia – investing in local jobs, manufacturing and industry,” said Albanese.
“We have all the resources to be a clean energy superpower – under the ground and in the sky – and projects like this show just what’s possible.
“Electric-made trucks built right here in Brisbane will keep Australia moving now and into the future.”
Transport accounts for around 22 per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions, with heavy freight a major part of the challenge. While battery-electric trucks will not suit every freight task immediately, local production gives fleets another signal that the technology is becoming a more permanent part of the Australian heavy vehicle market.
Volvo Trucks says broader adoption will depend on industry and government working together on demand, supportive policy settings, harmonised road weight rules across states, procurement commitments, and investment in charging and grid infrastructure.
Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro said the first locally manufactured electric trucks were an important demonstration of domestic capability.
“This is a major milestone for Australian manufacturing and a testament to the skill and capability of Australian workers. The first Australian-made electric trucks demonstrate how local manufacturing can drive innovation, support sustainability goals, and strengthen our economic future. Volvo’s investment in local production is creating jobs, building sovereign capability, and delivering world-class products made right here in Australia,” said Lazzaro.
The Wacol production milestone forms part of a broader investment program by Volvo Group Australia. On 9 July 2026, the company will open its new National Parts Distribution Centre in Sydney, a 21,000 square metre facility and the first Volvo distribution centre globally to introduce automated storage and retrieval technology.
Together with the acquisition of Truck Centre WA in 2025 and construction of the new VCV Gold Coast Dealership, Volvo says these three investments represent approximately $400 million committed in Australia over the past 18 months.
For Fleet Managers and transport operators assessing the pathway to lower-emission freight, the first locally built Volvo electric trucks are an important market signal. The technology still needs the right duty cycles, charging infrastructure, payload settings and operating support, but the arrival of OEM-backed Australian production gives the sector a stronger foundation to build from.
