Argus Trams Up with Power Trip for Kainga Ora’s EV Fleet Transition
Argus Tracking is proud to be working in collaboration with Power Trip to assist Kãinga Ora in transitioning its vehicle fleet to electric.
As part of New Zealand’s EV-first policy, the government aims to achieve a carbon-neutral public sector by 2025. With a substantial fleet, Kãinga Ora is at the forefront of implementing this policy by leveraging our telematics data with Power Trip’s Game Plan tool to address the challenges associated with such a large-scale transition.
The Issue
To kickstart the transition process, Kãinga Ora commissioned a fleet consultant to conduct an EV-readiness assessment in 2020. This assessment revealed that a combination of short and long-range electric vehicles (EVs) could fulfil many of Kãinga Ora’s travel requirements. However, the COVID-19 lockdowns disrupted travel patterns, making it unclear where the EVs would be charged, the potential challenges drivers might encounter, and the public charging infrastructure they could rely on.
“Transitioning our substantial fleet was a nightmare. We had to manually assess each vehicle and driver one at a time.” Nick Marcussion, Fleet Manager says.
Despite the adoption of the EV-first policy, Kãinga Ora needed to conduct detailed assessments for each vehicle and driver to determine the most suitable EVs and address their charging needs. There was a concern that drivers could easily opt for hybrid or internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by citing the unsuitability of EVs or lack of charging options.
The Solution: A Game-Changing Integration
Argus Tracking’s integration with Power Trip’s Game Plan provided a solution for Kãinga Ora’s fleet transition. Game Plan utilises historical driving data from Argus Tracking to demonstrate how different EV models can meet Kãinga Ora’s travel requirements. It also generates charging strategies, Considering the frequency of charging, reliance on public infrastructure, and identifying potential private charging locations at frequent stops.
Looking ahead, Power Trip is working with Kãinga Ora to bring new innovations to Game Plan, aiming to reduce and rationalise the number of vehicles in the fleet. Furthermore, Kãinga Ora plans to increase staff engagement and education initiatives to demystify EVs and alleviate any anxieties related to their usage.
