By Laura Cheftel
Fleets are changing. Cities are changing. And the way we think about mobility – who owns it, how we use it, and what it costs – is being rewritten in real time.
But real transformation is hard. It means confronting legacy systems, entrenched behaviours, and budgets that don't stretch. It requires bravery, leadership and a willingness to be first.
That's what makes Christchurch City Council's story so important.
In the wake of the devastating 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, CCC didn't just rebuild their transport system – they reimagined it. What followed was one of the most ambitious and successful public sector fleet transitions in Aotearoa New Zealand. Not a pilot. Not a pledge. But a full-scale reinvention that delivered a 100% electric shared fleet, cut emissions by hundreds of tonnes, reduced costs and reshaped how staff move around their city.
This case study doesn't just showcase what was achieved with Christchurch City Council. It's a roadmap for any organisation asking itself a big question in 2025:
What's stopping us from doing the same?
A city reimagines itself: Christchurch's moment of change
In the wake of devastating natural disaster 15 years ago, Christchurch faced an extraordinary challenge – and an extraordinary opportunity. The earthquakes shook the very foundations of the city, claiming lives, destroying infrastructure and displacing thousands. But amid the rubble emerged a quiet resolve: to rebuild not just what was lost, but to build something better.
For many in Christchurch, the recovery wasn't simply about restoring roads and buildings. It became a turning point to rethink the systems that shaped daily life – transport, energy, community spaces and the way people worked. The city's regeneration strategy, informed by the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan, deliberately invited innovation. It was a city looking for ideas that could shape a cleaner, more resilient and future-focused identity.
Within this broader movement, Christchurch City Council found itself asking a critical question: What kind of organisation – and city – do we want to be now?
Transport was a clear area for change. The Council's fleet, like many public sector fleets, had grown organically over time: a patchwork of petrol and diesel vehicles, underutilised assets, high emissions and unclear accountability around costs. The system wasn't working – but rebuilding presented a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
"The old system wasn't just inefficient – it no longer made sense in the city we were becoming."
The earthquakes had fractured more than infrastructure; they had loosened entrenched ways of thinking. With so much having already changed, the Council realised they had the social licence to go further – to reinvent how their people moved, to set an example in sustainability and to use public assets in smarter, more transparent ways.
This was not just about emissions, or even cost. It was about rebuilding with purpose.
That's when they began to look for a partner bold enough to match their ambition.
From vision to action: building a smarter fleet
In 2017, Christchurch City Council appointed Zilch – then a new player in the electric car share space – to deliver a first-of-its-kind project: an all-electric shared fleet, designed from the ground up to meet the needs of Council employees and, eventually, the wider city.
Zilch (formerly Yoogo Share) was uniquely placed to take on the challenge. With roots in traditional fleet and a bold new vision for Mobility as a Service (MaaS), Zilch brought together practical fleet expertise with a willingness to disrupt old paradigms.
CCC's brief was ambitious. They wanted:
- A zero-tailpipe emission fleet – not a token EV trial, but a full transformation.
- Line-of-sight on costs and utilisation – a transparent, accountable system.
- A mobility platform that could one day serve not just staff, but the city itself.
- A solution within existing budget constraints – no new funding, just better use of what already existed.
- And perhaps most critically, a change management process that could bring thousands of employees along for the ride.
Zilch's proposition was simple but powerful: share more, own less, and use data to right-size the fleet. Zilch's proprietary car sharing technology made it possible to deliver on all fronts. By consolidating vehicle access into a managed pool, available to any authorised staff member through a central booking system, Zilch unlocked significant efficiency gains.
Where traditional fleets were overbuilt "just in case," the Zilch system enabled real-time access "just in time."
"By optimising vehicle utilisation with its proprietary sharing technology, we were able to reduce the physical number of cars required to fulfil Christchurch City Council's usage requirements and, by doing so, deliver an electrified solution within existing budget."
Real outcomes, real impact
- 25% fleet reduction: By eliminating underutilised vehicles, the Council required fewer cars overall to meet the same travel demand.
- 32% cost reduction: The new model was more cost-effective, despite the higher purchase price of EVs.
- 700 employees onboarded and trained.
- Nearly 500 tonnes of CO₂e saved: A meaningful dent in the city's emissions, from just one organisation's shift in mobility.
- 1,000+ trips per month: Demonstrating strong uptake and embedded use across the organisation.
- 100% electric fleet: All vehicles in the new shared fleet were EVs – no compromises.
And just as importantly, staff embraced the transition. Despite the size and complexity of the Council as an organisation, with over 4000 employees, the shift to shared EVs was met not with resistance, but enthusiasm.
"The shared electric fleet that Zilch has provided for the City Council, a number of other businesses, and the public here in Christchurch has been brilliant."
— Vicky Buck, Chair, Innovation & Sustainability Committee, CCC
Zilch's solution didn't just deliver a new fleet. It enabled Christchurch City Council to model what the future of municipal mobility could look like: smarter, cleaner and more equitable.
Eight years on, when Christchurch City Council wanted to make the next step change in their evolution, there was a clear path forward; partnering with Zilch to retrofit Zilch Lite technology in their 250 owned fleet, starting in late 2024.
Leading the way, together
What Christchurch City Council achieved wasn't just a fleet upgrade; it was a reimagining of how public assets serve public good. It took courage, collaboration and a willingness to challenge entrenched norms. It required not just new technology, but a new mindset – one that sees transport not as an isolated cost centre, but as a strategic lever for change.
The results are measurable, meaningful and replicable. But they didn't happen by accident. They happened because CCC chose to lead, and because Zilch offered a platform and a partnership capable of supporting that ambition.
As cities, councils, and companies grapple with decarbonisation, cost pressures and accountability to their communities, Christchurch's story offers a hopeful and practical roadmap. It shows what's possible when leadership, bravery, timing and the right tools align.
Your Turn
Christchurch City Council's journey demonstrates that fleet transformation is achievable, even in the most challenging circumstances. With the right partnership, technology, and vision, organisations can deliver meaningful environmental and operational outcomes.
If your organisation is ready to reimagine its fleet operations, Zilch and Carbn can help you write your own transformation story.
👉 Contact us: info@carbn.nz