Science & Tech · Gadgets & EVs · 4 hrs ago
Australian electric trailers aim to cut truck diesel use by half
VE Motion is building battery-powered trailers in South Australia to help trucks use less diesel without replacing their prime movers.
The company says the trailers provide an extra 400 horsepower and aim to cut diesel use by 50 per cent.
High fuel costs are a major concern for trucking and forestry businesses that depend on diesel to move goods and logs.
The first customer is Goulburn farmer Andy Divall, whose wider operation uses about 120,000 litres of diesel a week.
Divall has already added electric vehicles and equipment to his fleet, and says a converted electric truck has made financial sense when fuel costs $2.30 a litre.
He hopes the trailer will deliver fuel savings, though he would be satisfied with a 25 per cent reduction and says the company’s 50 per cent target is ambitious.
VE Motion has received inquiries from agricultural businesses, while a forestry operator in the Green Triangle region is also interested in electric trailers.
South Australian company VE Motion is developing battery-powered trailers designed to cut trucks’ diesel use by 50 per cent.
The trailers provide extra power to reduce the effort required from a truck’s prime mover.
Co-founders Dean Panos and Stephen Bussenschutt are targeting agricultural operators, including mushroom farmers, milk carters and pig farmers.
Their first customer, livestock farmer Andy Divall, says he would be happy with a 25 per cent fuel-saving result.
Forestry operator Adrian Flowers is also interested in electric trucks and locally made electric trailers.
- Who
- VE Motion co-founders Dean Panos and Stephen Bussenschutt are developing the trailers. Their first customer is livestock farmer Andy Divall.
- What
- They are building battery-powered trailers intended to reduce trucks’ diesel use by 50 per cent.
- When
- The article was published on November 13, 2026. The development start date is not stated.
- Where
- The trailers are being built in South Australia, at a manufacturing business in Murray Bridge.
- Why
- The company aims to cut diesel costs and the amount of power trucks need from their prime movers.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
VE Motion’s co-founders worked in diesel power generation before moving into solar and batteries.
Panos and Bussenschutt bought an established trailer manufacturing business at Murray Bridge.
Divall said his converted electric truck had been on the road for about 12 months.
ABC Australia published its report on VE Motion’s battery-powered trailers.
- Target diesel reduction
- 50 per cent
- Trailer location
- Murray Bridge, South Australia
- VE Motion co-founders
- Dean Panos and Stephen Bussenschutt
- First customer
- Andy Divall, a Goulburn livestock farmer
- Divall’s weekly diesel use
- About 120,000 litres
What people are saying
so we're targeting a 50 per cent diesel reduction
I'm happy if we get a 25 per cent result
Fifty per cent's fairly ambitious, but I hope the guys prove me wrong.
It's the perfect application.