Deepway Takes the Star to Yarraville: Showcasing Australia's Electric Freight Future
On 14 April 2026, Deepway brought its flagship electric heavy truck — the Deepway Star — to the Fund Your Fleet breakfast showcase at the Yarraville Club, Yarraville, Victoria. The event, co-hosted by the Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) and NewVolt, drew a room full of owner-operators and fleet managers from Melbourne's container freight sector, all looking to understand what a real transition to electric looks like on Australian roads.
Deepway on the Ground
We parked the Deepway Star outside where attendees could walk around it, look it over, and get up close with the cab. For many in the room, it was their first time seeing a purpose-built pure electric heavy truck in person — not a converted diesel, but a truck designed from the ground up as electric. The interest was immediate. Questions kept coming throughout the morning, and a number of operators expressed genuine interest in adding the Deepway Star to their fleet.
Deepway was one of several OEMs represented at the outdoor truck inspection session, where freight operators could compare vehicles side by side and ask technical questions directly.
About the Deepway Star
The Deepway Star is an intelligent new energy heavy truck built on a dedicated pure-electric platform — the first of its kind to reach mass production and large-scale delivery in China, with over 8,000 cumulative deliveries as of 2025. It is now available in Australia.
Unlike diesel-to-electric conversions, the Star was engineered as a pure-electric vehicle from day one. At the heart of it is a drive-by-wire chassis paired with an integrated e-axle that eliminates the gearbox, driveshaft, and differential entirely — pushing energy conversion efficiency up to 94%, compared to around 80% for converted trucks. Combined with a drag coefficient of just 0.35 and a 300 kg weight reduction through extensive use of aluminium alloy and high-strength steel, the result is a truck that uses 16% less energy and delivers 20%+ more range than competing products under the same operating conditions.
The Star is available in 4x2 and 6x4 configurations, powered by CATL lithium iron phosphate battery packs of either 513 kWh or 600 kWh. Real-world driving range reaches up to 500 km on the 4x2 600 kWh model at a 42-tonne standard load — enough for serious Australian metro and regional freight runs. Dual-motor drive delivers a peak output of 670 PS, reaching 0 to 80 km/h in just 37 seconds under a full 49-tonne load.
Keeping that battery performing consistently is an in-house thermal management system that holds temperature variation within 3°C, extending battery life by 2–3 years — a meaningful difference over the long haul. Fast charging is via 500A or 800A dual-gun DC depending on model, with the 4x2 513H also supporting a 6-minute underfloor battery swap at compatible swap stations.
Inside, the cab is built for the long haul — flat floor, 2-metre interior height, a 1-metre-wide bunk, and a 16-way ergonomic suspension seat. A full suite of intelligent driving assistance comes standard, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, and forward collision warning.
The Opportunity for Australian Freight Operators
The morning's sessions highlighted that the timing for going electric has never been more practical. The Victorian Government's Freight Decarbonisation Co-Investment Program is currently offering grants of up to $300,000 for eligible small and medium freight operators looking to fund zero-emission vehicles — and the Deepway Star is ADR compliant and available now.
With running costs significantly lower than diesel and a truck built specifically for the demands of heavy freight, the Star is a serious option for any fleet looking to reduce emissions without compromising on capability.
Interested in the Deepway Star?
Get in touch with the Deepway Australia team to find out if the Star suits your operation.