Australia could reduce road transport emissions sooner by taking a broader approach that includes newer trucks, alternative fuels, hybrids and driver training rather than waiting for the entire heavy vehicle fleet to become electric.
That is the view of Hino Australia President and CEO Richard Emery, who believes governments need to consider the unique operating requirements of trucks when developing policies to reduce transport emissions.
Emery supports the long-term move towards electric trucks but argues there are emissions reductions available today that do not require fleets to immediately transition to battery-electric vehicles.
His concern is that too much of the policy discussion is focused on one technology.
Emery said he hoped there would be “broad discussion about approaching emissions improvement in a number of different ways, not just being tunnel vision towards electric.”
Start with the age of the fleet
Fleet renewal is one area where Emery believes Australia could achieve benefits beyond emissions.
He estimated the average age of trucks operating in Australia at roughly 14 years and suggested bringing that figure closer to 10 years could produce significant improvements.
Newer vehicles generally bring newer emissions technology, but they also introduce improvements in active safety, crash protection, reliability and driver assistance.
For a Fleet Manager building a replacement business case, that means the benefits of replacing an older truck should not necessarily be measured on fuel consumption alone.
Emery said fleet renewal involves “not just emissions; it’s safer trucks, less maintenance.”
There is, however, no simple policy solution.
Australia has a diverse truck fleet. A high-utilisation metropolitan delivery truck may justify frequent replacement, while a truck used by a regional business or farmer for a limited period each year may remain in service for decades.
Policies that penalise older trucks could therefore have unintended consequences for low-utilisation operators.
Emery acknowledged that difficulty, describing fleet renewal as “not an easy conversation”.
Alternative fuels can play a role
Renewable fuels are another option being considered by fleets looking to reduce emissions without immediately replacing existing assets.
Asked about the potential for renewable diesel or biodiesel in Australia, Emery said:
“I think it’s certainly an option for Australia.”
Alternative fuels could be particularly relevant where a fleet’s duty cycle, payload or operating range makes battery-electric trucks difficult to introduce in the short term.
But Emery’s broader argument is not that one alternative should replace electrification. Instead, fleets may achieve better results by combining several actions.
That could include replacing older vehicles, choosing hybrid technology where the application suits it, considering lower-emission fuels and improving the way existing vehicles are operated.
“I think you need a suite of actions to… drive down emissions,” Emery said.
Driver behaviour remains part of the equation
One of the least capital-intensive opportunities is driver training. The way a heavy vehicle is accelerated, slowed and operated through changing terrain can have a significant impact on fuel consumption.
Modern automated transmissions and vehicle control systems increasingly attempt to keep engines operating efficiently, but driver behaviour still matters.
During the drive, Emery pointed out that fleets often teach employees how to operate a truck safely without necessarily focusing on how to achieve the best fuel economy.
Telematics can make those differences visible by allowing Fleet Managers to compare consumption across vehicles and drivers performing similar work.
That turns fuel efficiency from an abstract target into something that can be measured, coached and improved.
Regular servicing also forms part of that conversation because a well-maintained truck is more likely to perform as designed.
Reduce emissions while preparing for electric
The practical message for fleets is that decarbonisation does not need to begin on the day an electric truck arrives.
Replacing an ageing vehicle, reducing unnecessary fuel consumption or selecting a lower-emission powertrain for an appropriate duty cycle can deliver benefits during the transition.
Electric trucks are still part of the destination.
But for a national truck fleet with vehicles performing everything from metropolitan deliveries to regional freight and seasonal agricultural work, the pathway is unlikely to look the same for every operator.
