The Practicalities of Decarbonising the Trucking Industry – With Volvo

In this episode of Exploring Clean Energy, Andy sits down with Corbin Luther, E-Mobility Solutions Specialist at Volvo Group Australia, to unpack one of the most challenging and exciting frontiers of decarbonisation: heavy vehicles. From electrical infrastructure and driver behaviour to hydrogen fuel cells and renewable diesel, Corbin provides a grounded, behind-the-scenes look at how Volvo is approaching the transition at scale. This conversation moves beyond theory into real-world fleet operations, exploring what is working, what is not, and what the next decade will really look like for Australia’s trucking industry.

Show Notes & Timestamps

0:00 - Welcome to Exploring Clean Energy
Andy sets the scene for today’s topic: the innovations reshaping freight, logistics, and heavy vehicles.

1:05 - Introducing Today’s Guest: Corbin Luther (Volvo Group Australia)
Corbin outlines Volvo’s structure globally and in Australia, including the role of Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks in local manufacturing.

3:45 - How Big is Volvo in the EV Trucking Space?
Discussion of global volumes, Australian production, and the rapid rise to 117 electric trucks now on the road, with more than 50 delivered this year.

6:10 - What Makes E-Mobility Technically Challenging in Australia?

Corbin breaks down:

• The constraints of aging electrical infrastructure
• Long distances vs short-haul suitability
• Market misconceptions about what electric trucks are designed for
• Fitting technology to specific applications

11:40 - Driver Behaviour: The Make-or-Break Variable

How telematics, regen braking, and driving style impact EV range, and why driver training is essential for fleets moving to electric.

16:30 - From Resistance to Enthusiasm: Changing Attitudes to EV Trucks

Real-world stories of sceptical drivers who change their minds within minutes of getting behind the wheel.

19:30 - Charging Infrastructure: The Volvo Approach
Volvo’s advisory role, partnerships with charging companies, and why they stay out of owning physical charging hubs.

23:05 - Decarbonising Heavy Transport: Electric, Hydrogen and Renewable Diesel (HVO)

A detailed breakdown of:

• Hydrogen fuel-cell trucks under development in Europe
• How HVO works and why it is a promising transition fuel
• European advancements and realistic timelines for change

30:50 - Fit for Purpose: Why There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Solution
How Volvo assesses a customer’s fleet, routes, power costs and operational realities before recommending EV adoption.

37:20 - The Economics: Total Cost of Ownership and the Sweet Spot

Why electricity price, kilometres travelled, and utilisation all determine whether an EV truck makes financial sense.

43:00 - Behaviour Change and Second-Mover Advantage
How sustainability pressure from customers, supply chains, and even employees is influencing fleet decisions.

48:00 - Government Policy: What’s Helping and What’s Not
Corbin discusses axle weight restrictions, the pace of ADR changes, and the role of ARENA-funded projects.

54:10 - Road Wear, Vehicle Design and the realigning misconceptions
Findings from Volvo and Austroads showing how tyre footprint and suspension design can reduce pavement impact.

58:40 - Operational Optimisation: The ‘Hidden’ Decarbonisation Tool

Route planning, idle time, fleet telematics, and the small daily decisions that reduce fuel and emissions.

1:04:30 - Battery Performance, Temperature Impacts and Real-World Range Modelling
How Volvo forecasts range using topography, historic traffic data, temperature profiles and aerodynamics.

1:10:10 - Looking Ahead: What the Next Decade Will Bring

Predictions on:

• Uptake of electric trucks
• Hydrogen’s likely role
• Growth of HVO
• How often EV trucks will be seen on Australian roads

1:15:00 - Final Thoughts from Corbin

Why the transition is gaining momentum, and why fit-for-purpose solutions will be critical.

Guest Bio - Corbin Luther

Corbin Luther is the E-Mobility Solutions Specialist at Volvo Group Australia, where he works directly with fleets, operators, and Volvo’s dealer network to support the transition to electric trucks. With a background in transport operations and fleet management, Corbin combines technical insight with deep knowledge of real-world trucking applications, ensuring customers put the right truck on the right job and adopt EVs in a way that is operationally sound, commercially sensible, and driver-friendly.

Website: volvotrucks.com.au
Corbin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corbin-luther-2598651b7/
Volvo Group LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/volvo-group/