Volvo Group has praised the Victorian Government for creating a permanent low/zero emissions road network, which the Swedish company says is a major win for electric transport.
While NSW is running a trial on permit for zero emission weight allowances and Queensland is also offering a permit system the Victorians are granting a permanent status for its Low/Zero Emission Heavy Vehicle access progam that will give heavy duty electric trucks so operate under a pre approved, three year permit with a 7.5 tonne steer axle allowance on those route.
The question being asked is for a country which has a National Heavy Vehicle Registration Scheme and recently allowed Federal freedoms on truck widths, why was axle freight allowances granted across the country to ease red tape and allow faster uptake of electric and zero emission trucks?
However in what Volvo is calling “a major win for electric transport’, the Victorian Government move is at least a permanent rule and will make it easier for fleets. moving to electric and hydrogen fuel cell machines.
Volvo Trucks Australia says it has been leading calls for weight concessions for zero emissions heavy vehicles to facilitate the adoption rate needed to meeting Paris agreement emissions targets.
“We’ve been very clear that without legislative changes such as these we won’t, as an industry, meet the emissions targets that we are all working towards, “said Martin Merrick, president and CEO Volvo Group Australia.
“I applaud the commitment shown by the Victorian Government by taking these steps,” Merrick said.
“We’ve made our commitment to both industry and society that we will be at the forefront of zero emissions transport and I’m heartened to see government taking steps along this journey as well,” he said.
The Victorian government said that its Low/Zero Emission Heavy Vehicle (LZEHV) access map was developed to simplify the implementation of LZEH vehicles on its roads.
The announcement by Victorian Minister for ports and freight, Melissa Horne took place at a Freight Decarbonisation Summit in Melbourne, hosted by the Department of Transport and Planning.
“Achieving substantial reductions in transport sector emissions will require us to rapidly reduce the existing petroleum-fuelled vehicle fleet and shift freight to rail whilst we begin the transition to zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) powered by clean energy.’’ Minister Horne said.
“Today’s summit demonstrates Victoria is clearing a path for driving the energy transition in the freight sector to accelerate the uptake of ZEVs and further encourage mode shift across our transport network as we zero-in on decarbonisation,’’ she said.
