London headquartered fleet electrification and battery storage expert Zenobē has opened Australia’s first off-site electric truck charging hub in the inner Sydney suburb of Mascot.
Federal Ministers Chris Bowen and Tanya Plibersek were on hand to officially open the hub, which features 22 DC fast chargers and parking for up to 44 light commercial trucks, all powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. It is the first of its kind in the country.
The hub’s main tenant is supermarket giant Woolworths, leasing around half the spaces for their fleet of delivery trucks. Remaining capacity at the hub will be available to other commercial fleets and businesses operating in and around Sydney.
This innovative off-site charging hub provides vital access to essential charging infrastructure for commercial fleets who may not be currently able to do so at their own existing depots and sites.
“This project marks a turning point for Australia’s commercial transport sector,” said Gareth Ridge, Zenobē country director for Australia and New Zealand.
“The Mascot hub is not only the first of its kind in the country, but also a model for how fleets can access clean, shared charging infrastructure without needing to invest in their own sites. We’re proud to be leading this change alongside our partners and helping to make sustainable transport a reality for Australia.”
Off-site charging hubs are becoming increasingly important as operators look to electrify quickly but face barriers at their existing depots due to grid constraints, limited real estate, or lengthy upgrade timelines.
Centralised and shared charging facilities allow fleets to adopt EVs sooner, while spreading infrastructure costs across multiple users. Zenobē says this model mirrors the early stages of electrification already underway in the UK and Europe, where dedicated fleet charging precincts have accelerated the shift to zero-emissions logistics in dense urban areas.
In addition to delivering the Mascot Hub itself, Zenobē is also leasing 60 light commercial electric trucks to Woolworths under its Electric Vehicle as a Service (EVaaS) model, which includes vehicle financing, battery management, vehicle maintenance, and even second-life battery repurposing.
“With our home delivery service more popular than ever with our customers, working with Zenobē allows us to scale our investment in an EV truck fleet quickly,” said Chris Peters, director of strategic initiatives and eComX at Woolworths.
“Charging infrastructure like this new facility is critical to our EV operations and helping to make our suburban streets just a little quieter and cleaner.”
Support for the Hub project was provided by several key partners including the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) who provided grant funding and project financing respectively.
Also involved are Ausgrid, who served as leasing partner for the Zenobē as well as local grid connection provider, and truck manufacturer Foton, who is supplying the electric trucks that will be used by Woolworths.
The Mascot hub offers a glimpse into how Australia’s urban freight network may evolve over the coming decade. With major retailers, parcel carriers and service fleets all signalling plans to electrify, demand for reliable and high-capacity charging is expected to surge.
Facilities like Zenobē’s provide an immediate pathway for operators who want to scale electric fleets without waiting for depot rebuilds or expensive network upgrades. Precinct-style hubs could become as essential to future logistics as fuel depots were to the diesel era.