Australian company Janus Electric has unveiled what it says is the country’s first electric prime mover fleet, unveiling four converted heavy haulage vehicles in Sydney that can swap batteries and provide vehicle to grid services.
The conversion technologies of Janus is focused on what it says is a sweet spot in the industry – the need for all heavy vehicles to have a major engine rebuild after one million kilometres.
“This provides an ideal opportunity to convert to electric,” CEO Lex Forsyth says. “Electrifying our road network is no longer a pipedream for future Australia, but a real tangible solution for today that we can act on now.”
The Janus fleet currently features converted prime movers from Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack, Volvo and Western Star.
“We don’t need to purchase brand new electric vehicles to electrify Australia’s freight network, our technology simply converts the heavy vehicles already out on Australia’s roads,” Forsyth said.
Janus is using 630kWh batteries that – depending on the size of the load – can deliver around 400kms of range for a B-double. It will feature a 540kW motor. The batteries are located within easy reach below the cabin (see picture below) and can be swapped within four minutes.

Janus will be building a series of major recharging and battery swap stations around the trucking network, but says these can also be operated by private networks or existing petrol providers.
These stations will have a capacity of around 38MW, with a 20MW feed to and from the grid. “We’ll have the largest virtual power stations in the grid,” he says.
Forsyth says the charging and swap stations will feature grid to battery, battery to grid (to provide services such as FCAS), and battery to battery technologies, which will be used when the truck tracking system decides the resources of multiple batteries be focuses on one or two if they are needed urgently.
The batteries take around four hours to recharge and Forsyth says that means the batteries will last longer with a slower charge (around four hours).
And he says it makes sense to swap the batteries, given that a “fast-charge” of such a battery will need at least 1.2MW. And he says it makes sense to have “swappable” batteries given the rapid change in battery chemistries, which will deliver better efficiency and less weight.
“There’s a constant evolution, and that’s why it makes sense to have exchangeable batteries,” he said.
Forsyth says the economics of the electric battery technology are already compelling. On a kilometer to kilometer basis, they are around one third of the price – around 33c per kilometers compared to 96c per km for diesel. Even with the cost of batteries, the technology delivers savings of around one third over diesel.
And once the batteries are depleted – say to around 70 per cent – they can be re-purposed as stationary storage.
Dusty, a mechanic and truck driver (above), took The Driven for a short trip around the tarmac at the White Bay Cruise Terminal in Sydney. “It’s so smooth to drive,” he says. “The noisiest part is the air conditioning. And with the (regeneration) you have one pedal driving, you only need to brake if you want to come to a complete stop.”
Forsyth is also dismissive of hydrogen alternatives, noting that there are a “rainbow” of colors for hydrogen, ranging from black, brown, gray and blue, and even green hydrogen is not necessarily zero emissions if the source of power (wind and solar farms) have already sold green certificates for other companies to claim offsets.
“If the LGCs are sold to another company to offset emissions, it should not be used as green energy. That would mean they are still being used to greenwash carbon emissions,” he says.
He says batteries provide 85 per cent efficiency, compared to around 30 per cent for diesel and 28 per cent for hydrogen.
Forsyth says the conversion process is relatively simple and costs around $150,000.
Janus takes out the diesel engines, the radiators, the collars and the fuel tanks and exhaust pipes and air intakes, and gives them back to the fleet. And then they install their JCM conversion system. The trucks use between 1.2kWh and 1.8kWh per kilometer, depending on their size.
Janus has already struck deals with Oz Minerals and Qube, and it says there is strong interest from mining companies, trucking companies, and petrol station operators keen to latch on to the new technology.
The company is raising $10 million ahead of an expected IPO and stock exchange listing later this year.
Giles Parkinson is founder and editor of The Driven, and also edits and founded the Renew Economy and One Step Off The Grid web sites. He has been a journalist for nearly 40 years, is a former business and deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review, and owns a Tesla Model 3.
“We MUST respect this earth - it is all we have
Claudio Dametto - South Australia
“I will always Vote to Preserve Our World.
Liam McGregor - Western Australia
“A simple message that even a politician can understand
Felicity Crombach - Victoria
“Please show you care about our future generations!!
Phil Harmer - New South Wales
“Save our world , Life & health before profits.
Kerry Lillian - New South Wales
“Close down all coal mines and Do not mine gas . Make these Companies
Daniel Johnson - New South Wales
“We want carbon free energy!
Edan Clarke - New South Wales
“Feels good to be taking a voter action step
Beaver Hudson - New South Wales
“Great Initiative. Let’s Hold elected officials Accountable to their bosses, us!
John Paul Posada - New South Wales
“We need actions not words we need honest democratic govt We need a pm
Bob Pearce - South Australia
“Thank you for this great resource. I was feeling helpless. Even this small step
Silvia Anderson - Victoria
“If political parties continue receiving political donations, we will rarely have politicians working for
Dan Chicos - New South Wales
“I only vote for people who will take urgent action to restore a safe
Susie Burke - Victoria
“Current government is not representing the opinion of the majority of Australian to meet
Neil Price - Tasmania
“We are fighting to rescue our kids' future from those who seek to steal
Vanessa Norimi - Queensland
“No time to waste Now or Never My vote is for NOW
Rosalie White - Victoria
“I am only 9 but I already care
Ava Bell - New South Wales
“From New Lambton Uniting Church - Caring for our world is a moral imperative.
Niall McKay - New South Wales
“Our federal govt is an International climate Embarrassment - its about time they stepped
Oriana Tolo - Victoria
“Vote earth this time!
Sue Cooke - Queensland
“We are in one on the wealthiest countries in the world. we have the
rowan huxtable - New South Wales
“The climate Emergency is the public health opportunity and urgent priority of the 21st
Mike Forrester - Victoria
“If they want my vote they better act now
Barbara McNiff - New South Wales
“We need to act locally now for the earth. Our only home. Vote Earth
Anne Miller - New South Wales
“I often look at the places I've known all my life and see how
Jim Baird - New South Wales
“Strike one For people power!!! Democracy might prevail outside the current cronyism that faces
Lorraine Bridger - New South Wales
“Our federal politicians Are Afraid to make action on climate change a major election
Jennifer Martin - New South Wales
“climate election, let's go!
Fahimah Badrulhisham - New South Wales
“Great to see this website that is a focus on action for climate change
Lynette Sinclair - New South Wales
“Let’s show politicians and the Murdoch media that climate change is by far the
Jane Aitken - Australian Capital Territory
“If you want to stay in power You need to take action to stop
Jane Bulter - New South Wales
“We are all that stands between terminal climate change and the vulnerable. We are
Carol Khan - Queensland
“We need a Government that Believes this is real and not taking money from
Ken Gray - New South Wales
“I'm voting for my childrens future
Anneliese Alexander - New South Wales