Coles chief operations and sustainability officer Matt Swindells with Linfox chief executive officer Mark Mazurek. Credit: Coles.

Australian supermarket chain Coles has introduced an electric prime mover truck, the Volvo FH, into its grocery delivery network for the first time. 

The Volvo FH electric prime mover is currently operational and is expected to make 25 grocery deliveries a week from the Coles distribution centre in Victoria to stores across the state.  

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With a range of 300km per charge, it will save 25,000 litres of diesel each year.  

This initiative is part of a collaboration with Linfox, projected to reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 65t annually.  

The vehicle also reduces noise pollution and needs no idling, reducing further emissions and fuel consumption. 

Coles chief operations and sustainability officer Matt Swindells said in a statement that the introduction of EVs is part of the retailer’s decarbonisation strategy.  “We’re excited to welcome our first EV prime mover to our network which is currently doing about 25 deliveries from our distribution centre in Victoria each week to hundreds of stores across the state. 

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“Not only will it prevent more than 65 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year, or the equivalent of removing 15 cars from our roads, it will save approximately 25,000 litres of fuel annually and is quieter to run, meaning reduced noise pollution for our customers.” 

In 2023, Coles revealed that it was collaborating with 75% of its suppliers, based on spending, to establish science-based emissions reduction targets by the end of June 2027.  

This is part of the retailer’s Scope 3 emissions [not produced by a company itself and not the result of activities from assets it owns or controls but for which it is indirectly responsible for up and down its value chain] supplier engagement target.  

To further mitigate emissions, Coles has initiated trials including an electric Coles Online delivery van in Queensland, an EV heavy rigid truck in Sydney and ten electric refrigeration vans designed to decrease emissions and fuel usage.