Georgeina Whelan, head of the ACT Emergency Services Agency, hopes to have an entire fleet of zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) one day. The seeds were sown today: the ACT Government has partnered with Volvo to design the first seven vehicles, which will enter the fleet over the next five years.

They could be logistic vehicles, State Emergency Service operational vehicles, or Rural Fire Service ones; hook trucks or pod vehicles. But they will be “on the road day in and day out as we serve our community,” Commissioner Whelan said.

Additional low and zero emission vehicles will be purchased over the next 20 years as part of the ESA’s vehicle replacement program.

“This is the future, and as emergency services first responders across the country, it’s our responsibility to lead the way,” Commissioner Whelan said.

Obviously, the ZEVs will be better for the environment, but they have other advantages. They are quieter, vibrate much less, flow more smoothly, and are easier to get into than current vehicles.

“If you imagine a firefighter on a 14-hour shift, going out every 30 minutes in that kind of environment, and eliminate that before they have to step in harm’s way, then we’re really contributing to the overall health and wellbeing of our firefighters and our other first responders,” Commissioner Whelan said.

Nor will drivers spend precious time looking for a petrol station to refuel. (During the 2020 bushfires, petrol stations even ran dry, delaying evacuations.) In fact, Commissioner Whelan estimates that the Agency will save at least $35,000 every year by not having to refuel frontline vehicles.

The announcement was made the day after the government published its Zero Emissions Vehicles Strategy 2022–30, setting out how the ACT will transition from internal combustion engines to zero emission vehicles by 2035.

• Zero emission vehicles will be ‘easier and cheaper to access’, ACT Government says (20 July)
• ACT to phase out fossil-fuel powered vehicles by 2035 (18 July)

The government has said it must lead the way, and Chief Minister Andrew Barr expects similar changes across the ACT fleet.

“This transition is coming; it’s important,” Mr Barr said. “The government is on the front foot and working with vehicle manufacturers in a variety of different circumstances. Today is another practical example of how we are doing this.”

Last year, the government announced it would acquire Australia’s first-ever electric fire truck. It is also procuring a fleet of 90 electric buses, while it won the 2021 Fleet Environment Award for running a zero emissions fleet of government vehicles.

• Electric buses will come to Canberra this year (23 February)
• ACT to acquire Australia’s first electric fire truck (3 October 2021)
• ACT Government’s zero emissions vehicle program wins award (21 May 2021)

“A zero emissions future is non-negotiable for the ACT,” Mick Gentleman, minister for police and emergency services, said.

Lauren Downs, Volvo’s vice-president of sales, called the announcement “a momentous occasion”. Both Volvo and the ACT Government have set targets of net zero value chain emissions from their operations by 2040.

“Climate change is real, and it is undoubtedly one of the largest challenges of our lives,” Ms Downs said. “Today is a sign that both the ACT ESA and the Volvo group have already commenced our significant, transformational journeys on our way to net zero.”