Severe weather events are becoming more frequent across Australia and New Zealand, underscoring the urgent need for fleets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) seems like the obvious solution, but is it really that simple? For fleets to be both sustainable and resilient, they need strategies that balance environmental goals with operational realities.

Climate Change and Fleet Operations

In early 2023, New Zealand’s North Island experienced catastrophic flooding, followed by Cyclone Gabrielle. Eleven councils declared States of Emergency, with thousands displaced and infrastructure like power, communications, and transport severely disrupted.

Events once described as “1-in-200 years” are now projected to happen four times more often due to global warming. This raises difficult questions for both communities and organisations:

• Should we rebuild in vulnerable areas or retreat?
• How can fleets reduce emissions while staying operational during disasters?

EVs Are Essential, But Not the Whole Answer

Adopting EVs is a critical step toward reducing fleet emissions. However, fleets also need to prepare for situations where power grids are down, and charging becomes impossible.

For example, Wellington City Council has been ambitious in its EV adoption programme, but Fleet Advisor Vishal Garg insists on maintaining a strategic reserve of petrol and diesel vehicles.

“EVs are a great billboard for our sustainability drive, but any goodwill would quickly evaporate if our fleet was stuck in the carpark with flat batteries during a natural disaster.” – Vishal Garg, Wellington City Council

This balanced approach ensures that fleets remain both sustainable and resilient in emergencies.

The Challenges to Full EV Adoption

Despite strong momentum, most fleets still rely on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Common barriers include:

• Higher upfront costs of EVs.
• Lack of EV models for specific fleet roles.
• Resistance to change within organisations.

This means many fleets will operate with a hybrid mix of ICE and EVs for years to come.

Smartrak’s Approach: A Pathway to Lower Emissions

At Smartrak, we understand that sustainable transformation doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why our solutions are designed to:

• Maximise efficiency of existing ICE fleets, reducing fuel burn and emissions.
• Identify cost savings that can be reinvested into EV adoption.
• Provide telematics insights to manage both ICE and EVs seamlessly.

Our latest telematics solution bridges the gap between conventional and electric fleets. Fleet Managers gain:

• Real-time visibility of EV battery data.
• Desktop access to charging status and range projections.
• Continued management consistency across mixed fleets.

No more walking to the carpark to check charge levels - everything is visible in one dashboard.

Building Fleets That Are Both Sustainable and Resilient

The climate is changing, and fleets must adapt. By combining innovative technology, telematics, and practical strategies, organisations can reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining the reliability communities depend on - especially in times of crisis.

Change is here - in our weather and in the way fleets operate. The way forward lies in smart, sustainable, and resilient fleet management.