Electric rigids power Perth beer runs

Toll Group has partnered with Asahi Beverages to deploy five Volvo FE electric rigid trucks for metropolitan beverage distribution in Perth.

Operating out of Asahi’s Forrestfield Distribution Centre, the new battery electric fleet will service high-volume metro routes, completing more than 36,000 deliveries annually to bottle shops and licensed venues across the city. According to Toll, the rollout represents the largest route-to-market electric fleet operating from a single location in Australia.

The 6×2 Volvo FE rigids are fitted with 12-pallet tautliner bodies and carry prominent livery featuring brands including Carlton Dry, Victoria Bitter and Balter. Designed for urban and suburban delivery cycles, the trucks are capable of travelling up to 270km on a single charge.

Supporting the deployment are three dual-port 60kW DC chargers installed at the Forrestfield site, enabling dedicated on-site charging for the fleet.

The five electric rigids will replace diesel-powered trucks and are expected to abate up to 140 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually – the equivalent of removing more than 50 average passenger vehicles from the road each year.

Nick Vrckovski, President, Retail and Consumer at Toll Group, said the project demonstrates how electric heavy vehicles can operate at scale in demanding metropolitan freight tasks.

“This milestone builds on our longstanding partnership with Asahi and represents the next step in our shared decarbonisation journey,” he said.

“By deploying electric trucks across Perth’s high-volume metro network, we’re showing how lower-emissions transport can be achieved at scale, without compromising service reliability, safety or customer needs.”

Asahi Beverages CEO, Amanda Sellers, described the rollout as a significant step in the company’s emissions reduction strategy.

“Using electric trucks to transport our beer in Perth marks a significant milestone in Asahi’s efforts to reduce emissions,” she said.

“Thanks to our partnership with Toll, these electric trucks will safely deliver our beer just like a regular diesel truck. This investment makes commercial sense for our business and is a big step towards creating sustainable and reliable supply chains with our customers and partners.”

The Perth rollout forms part of Toll’s broader $67 million investment in battery electric heavy vehicles and associated charging infrastructure, co-funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) through its Driving the Nation program.

Toll has introduced electric rigids and prime movers with major grocery and beverage customers in multiple states in recent months, building what it describes as the largest third-party deployment of battery electric heavy vehicles in Australia.

The company says operational data from these projects will help inform future fleet decisions and support broader efforts to decarbonise urban freight, particularly in sectors such as hospitality and beverage distribution where frequent, time-sensitive and heavy payload deliveries are the norm.