New South Wales based Janus Electric has announced the start of operation of Western Australia’s first electric road train, a converted Volvo truck pulling 115 tonnes with two trailers.
Janus Electric CEO Lex Forsyth took to his social media accounts late last week to unveil the achievement, which he described as the “heaviest road-going electric truck in the world”.
While it is unclear exactly what the specifications of the Volvo truck are, Janus Electric has built its business on the back of its battery swap technology that allows it to electrify Class 8 Prime Movers, and which allows batteries to be swapped for minimal recharging downtime.
Janus Electric partnered with Qube, Australia’s largest logistics provider, on the development of the new electric road train, which will now be carrying lithium out of a lithium mine in Bunbury to the nearby Port of Bunbury.
This latest achievement appears to build on the existing partnership between the two companies announced in early 2023 which saw them partner with Australian copper miner Oz Minerals to trial the world’s first electric triple road train at its operations in South Australian.
The 12-month trial featured an electrified Janus Electric truck, capable of hauling up to 165 tonnes – the potential weight of a triple road train – at a range of between 200 to 400 kilometres on a single charge.
“This is a significant milestone for the transport industry,” said Lex Forsyth at the time.
“The Janus Electric team has developed a vehicle that both performs exceptionally and reduces carbon emissions.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.