Veolia trials electric vehicle for a low-emissions future

Veolia Australia and New Zealand is powering up for a low emissions future, trialling a new bright green electric powered Volvo garbage truck in Canberra which, with a nod to the Raiders, has been nicknamed The Green Machine.

The new truck is part of a partnership with Volvo and is just the first step in Veolia’s latest sustainability commitment to further accelerate the transition of its 2700 strong fleet to electric vehicles.

Canberrans will see The Green Machine on their streets collecting rubbish from mid January and into February as Veolia tests its capabilities in tight spots and over distance. It will be hard to miss, as the truck has a bright leafy green design that features a big power cord and a giant plug. That standout design is intentional according to Veolia’s Chief Operating Officer ― Waste Tony Roderick.

“The livery is very much a statement about our future being low emissions and electric, not just for Veolia and rubbish collection but for every part of the economy in Australia’s sustainable future,” said Mr Roderick.

“This first EV purchase is going to be crucial to our Canberra operations. We’ll be looking to get the most data we can from the trial of the Green Machine, testing its performance to ensure we understand the benefits of EV vehicles in our fleet and to know what changes we need to make to bring them into our business.

“The Canberra trial is just one part of Veolia’s mission of ecological transformation to achieve a sustainable future. We are constantly on the lookout in every part of our business to reduce carbon emissions.”

This active move towards low emissions changes can already be seen in other parts of Veolia’s business. The company has already rolled out EV charging stations at three facilities in Queensland and there are plans for 20 more charging stations nationally by early 2024. All of these sites will be linked to a monitoring system to determine where further energy efficiencies can be found. These benefits don’t stay with Veolia. Chargers installed on some of the sites are available for public use. 

This Green Machine trial and all these changes are part of Veolia’s Decarbonisation project, which aims to use solar power to offset the company’s energy consumption right across its operations. Together with the installation of EV chargers at multiple sites around the country, this will eventually support the complete transition from fossil fuel trucks to electric vehicles. 

“So often, we get a sense that big changes are coming when they touch close to home and for Canberrans this will be more true than ever. There are fewer things closer to where you live than your early morning garbage collection,”  Mr Roderick said. 

“This may seem a small step as we move towards a sustainable, low emissions future, but it is yet another sign that Veolia and Canberra residents continue to lead the way in changing the world for the better. ”

Interviews available: 
Veolia’s ANZ Chief Operating Officer ― Waste: Tony Roderick.
Veolia ANZ CEO: Dr Richard Kirkman