Ampol and Foton Mobility Distribution sign MOU to explore electric truck charging

What the memorandum covers

Ampol and Foton Mobility Distribution have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore charging solutions for electric commercial vehicles in Australia. As reported by Australasian Bus and Coach, the agreement will see the two parties look at solutions across Ampol's AmpCharge public electric vehicle charging network, as well as at commercial charging hubs and at private depots serving FMD's electric bus and vehicle fleet. ¹²⁴

A central element is compatibility testing between FMD trucks and Ampol's AmpCharge charging solutions network. Australasian Bus and Coach reports that FMD general manager light duty trucks Geoff Carroll says the testing demonstrates the collaboration required to overcome barriers to adoption for customers. ¹

Both parties have framed the MOU as exploratory. The announced work covers testing and consideration of charging scenarios rather than a confirmed rollout of truck-ready charging sites, so no committed network locations, timelines or investment figures have been announced. ¹²⁴

Why public truck charging is the gap FMD sees

FMD's Geoff Carroll told Australasian Bus and Coach that while most EV trucks are currently charging at their respective depots, due to limited availability of truck-ready public charging sites, the ability to venture further afield with confidence using Ampol's public network would materially enhance the ownership experience. Depot charging remains the default for electric trucks because dedicated public infrastructure for larger vehicles is scarce. ¹

That framing positions the MOU as an attempt to address one of the practical constraints on electric commercial vehicle uptake in Australia: fleets can electrify depot-based routes, but longer or unplanned journeys require public chargers that can physically accommodate and reliably serve trucks. ¹

Ampol's view on heavy transport charging

Ampol head of energy business solutions Rebecca Wilson told Australasian Bus and Coach that the collaborative approach will demonstrate how businesses can work together to make going electric simpler and more rewarding for heavy vehicle transport members. She said Ampol remains committed to supporting the evolving transport energy needs of its business customers, and that the ongoing rollout of its public EV charging network combined with workplace charging solutions continues to build customer confidence in charging safely and reliably. ¹

Wilson also set out why heavy transport differs from passenger EV charging, telling Australasian Bus and Coach that it presents unique challenges from higher energy demands and longer dwell times to route planning across long-haul corridors. She said working closely with FMD allows Ampol to tailor AmpCharge infrastructure and depot charging solutions to the real-world operational needs of fleet operators, so businesses can transition to electric without compromising uptime, range confidence or efficiency. ¹

The AmpCharge network behind the partnership

The MOU builds on an AmpCharge network that is already being expanded. According to Simplify's company profile of Ampol, AmpCharge reached 356 Australian charging bays by June 2026, plus 217 bays in New Zealand through Ampol's Z Energy business. The same profile lists the Foton partnership alongside highway sites as part of Ampol's push into fleet charging and commercial electrification. ¹

The Driven has reported on infrastructure work that shapes what the AmpCharge network can support. In September 2026 it detailed an Australian-first dynamic connection agreement between AmpCharge and distribution network Ausgrid at a site north of Wyong in New South Wales. The agreement allows the charging site to draw on spare grid capacity when available and reduce demand during the few days each year when the network is under pressure, which The Driven reports turned a potentially multimillion-dollar grid connection into one costing about $90,000 for eight bays of up to 200 kW each, with heavy vehicle facilities included at the M1 motorway location. ¹

Ausgrid's Connections Manager Angela Burford told Renew Economy, as reported by The Driven, that the chargers would still operate during curtailment events but charge more slowly, with the connection turned down perhaps two or three days a year. The Driven notes the model could be replicated to lower one of the biggest obstacles to Australia's EV charging rollout: the cost and time of connecting high-powered chargers to the grid, which matters for the heavy-duty charging scenarios the Foton MOU contemplates. ¹

Context: Ampol's broader energy and charging moves

The Foton MOU sits within a broader period of expansion for Ampol's charging and retail interests. MitchelLake's signal tracking for the company records the 29 September 2026 partnership alongside other activity, including an agreement to acquire Australian EV charging network Evie Networks and a $225 million transformation program for Ampol's Australian service station network. ³

None of that context changes the status of the Foton agreement itself: it remains a memorandum of understanding, with compatibility testing between FMD trucks and AmpCharge chargers as the announced first step, and public, commercial-hub and depot charging as the scenarios under consideration. Any deployment outcomes would depend on the results of that exploratory work, which neither party has yet detailed. ¹²⁴