Origin Energy's fleet transition: electric LPG truck trial, fast-growing EV leasing and grid-scale batteries

An electric rigid truck for LPG deliveries

Toll Group has put a Volvo FE Electric 4x2 rigid truck into service supporting Origin Energy's LPG cylinder delivery operations, describing the deployment as a significant step toward reducing emissions in Australia's heavy logistics sector. The vehicle is now working in metropolitan Brisbane, moving LPG cylinders between Origin facilities, according to Toll's media release. ²

"This project shows that electric heavy vehicles are not just a concept, they're a practical solution for complex supply chains," said Michael Rugendyke, President Resources & Industrials at Toll, in the announcement. Toll's release positions the partnership as an example of collaboration accelerating the shift to cleaner logistics. ²

What the truck is built to do

Toll states the FE Electric is purpose-built for urban delivery and the particular requirements of LPG distribution, offering a daily range of 200–275 km per duty cycle while cutting an estimated 39 tonnes of CO2 annually compared with traditional vehicles. Toll also highlights reduced noise pollution as a benefit of electric operation in urban environments. ²

The initiative sits within Toll's $67 million investment in battery-electric heavy vehicles and charging infrastructure, co-funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) under its Driving the Nation program. That program will see 28 electric vehicles integrated into Toll's fleet nationwide, according to the company's announcement. ²

A year in development within a 10-year partnership

General Manager of Origin LPG Amber Fennell said the partnership with Toll had enabled the development of an electric vehicle specifically designed for LPG cylinder delivery. "This project has been in development for over a year as part of our 10-year strategic partnership," she said in the Toll media release, adding that, based on the trial's success, Origin was excited about the potential for electric vehicles to transform its LPG operations in the future. ²

Toll notes the trial is expected to provide insights into performance, charging cycles and operational efficiency, informing both companies' future low-emission transport strategies. The outcomes of the Brisbane trial, and any decision to extend electric trucks across Origin's LPG fleet, remain future decisions rather than confirmed plans. ²

Origin's broader fleet and EV connections in FY26

The truck trial sits alongside wider electrification activity reported in Origin's fiscal 2026 results, presented on August 13, 2026 and covered by Investing.com. The company's Energy Services platform, integrated with Octopus Energy, completed 100,000 installations of heat pumps, solar batteries and EV chargers during FY26, while its electric vehicle leasing fleet grew 63% to 49,000 vehicles. ³

Origin's FY26 results also showed the energy business that funds these investments strengthening. Investing.com reported adjusted free cash flow of $2.074 billion, up 72% from the prior year, even as underlying profit fell 22% to $1.159 billion on lower realised prices at Australia Pacific LNG. Statutory profit rose 6% to $1,574 million, helped by one-time gains including the Kraken Technologies demerger. ³

The battery build program that underpins Origin's firming capacity was on time and on budget in FY26, with 1.3 GW of capacity and 4.1 GWh of storage operational out of a committed 1.8 GW and 6.4 GWh, according to Investing.com's coverage of the results presentation. The Eraring and Mortlake battery stages came online ahead of schedule, and Origin's analysis showed grid-scale batteries increasingly managing evening peaks in NSW and Queensland. ³

Transition context and open questions

Industry analysis published by Koala Gains frames the wider setting: it expects several gigawatts of coal capacity, including Origin's own Eraring Power Station, to close over the next three to five years, with growth shifting toward behind-the-meter solutions such as rooftop solar, home batteries and EV charging services orchestrated by retailers. ¹

Koala Gains also identifies execution risk in this build-out, noting a high probability of some project delays given supply chain and planning approval challenges. For the transport side of the transition, the Brisbane LPG truck remains a single-vehicle trial; Toll's release says the partners are excited about future potential but does not commit to fleet-wide expansion, and the 39-tonne annual CO2 saving is a stated estimate for the trial vehicle rather than a verified fleet-wide figure. ¹²