GEODIS said it has partnered with Volvo Australia to pilot the first fully electric (FE) variant truck for freight forwarding within the Australian market.

In a statement, the worldwide transport and logistics company said the strategic partnership would deploy Volvo's FE model trucks — powered by both solar energy and energy-efficient charging systems — as part of a concerted effort to support long-term customers with sustainable delivery solutions to complement existing freight forwarding services across the local market.

The Volvo FE truck is 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.

As part of the pilot program, GEODIS said it would be assessing factors, including the driving range, the suitability for heavy loads of up to 7,500 kilograms to be transported across 200-kilometer ranges within metropolitan areas via FE trucks before committing to a larger-scale roll-out across its fleet in Australia.

The full integration of these trucks into GEODIS' Australian fleet is set to completely remove fine particles and nitrogen oxide, in addition to ensuring a 95% reduction in direct carbon emissions compared to existing diesel vehicles performing the same function.

"We recognize the growing importance of integrating both sustainable and innovative solutions into the supply chain ecosystem, especially as more of our customers look to us to transport their cargo in an ethical and sustainable manner," said Stuart Asplet, sub-regional managing director, Pacific at GEODIS.

He added that this initiative serves not only as a testament to Geodis' long-standing relationship with Volvo but also to the companies' collective vision to decarbonize the supply chain industry.

"We look forward to formalizing many more of such milestones as we continue to take steps forward to reduce our impact on the environment," Asplet said.

As part of a long-term plan to decarbonize the supply chain, GEODIS has also built a robust ecosystem to ensure future FE trucks can be fully optimized across its road network.

With the support of Volvo Australia's e-mobility team, GEODIS noted that it has upskilled its drivers with electric-vehicle training and designed holistic route and load planning processes to get the most efficient use of the assets.

Partners like Goodman Group were also brought on board to install solar panels and charging infrastructure across GEODIS’ facilities, paving the way for the further electrification of the GEODIS fleet.

"We are thrilled to be working with GEODIS on this pilot program to extend our Volvo FE fleet within the Australian heavy vehicle market. Bringing low-carbon and more circular transport solutions has always been a key priority for us, and this strategic partnership is one of the many steps that we are taking to build a more energy-efficient transport ecosystem for the market," said Tim Camilleri, electromobility manager, Volvo Group Australia.

GEODIS said it has also been ramping up the implementation of other low-carbon transport systems, including building efficient, multimodal transport networks — that tap into the use of rail, short sea shipping, and inland waterways — and fully optimizing the volume and payload of fleets.

It has also launched its Sustainable Fuel Program (SAF) worldwide, which aims to accelerate the use of alternative and renewable fuels, including marine fuels, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.