By Laura Cheftel
The Challenge
In 2022, the University of Waikato's 125-vehicle fleet comprised a mix of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, hybrids, and a limited number of electric vehicles. While the University had made some progress with emission reduction, they needed specific expertise to accelerate the transition to electric in alignment with the Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP) recommendations.
Key challenges included:
- High reliance on ICE vehicles: Despite having some EVs, the fleet was still heavily dependent on traditional petrol-powered vehicles.
- Inefficient fleet usage: The fleet was not optimised to the University's actual needs, leading to idle assets and inefficiencies.
- Sustainability goals: The University needed to accelerate progress toward their emission reduction targets while maintaining mobility and service delivery requirements for staff.
The University recognised that fleet transformation required both electrification and optimisation – understanding actual usage patterns to right-size the fleet while transitioning to zero-emission vehicles.
The Solution
Carbn was engaged to perform a comprehensive utilisation analysis of the University's fleet by accessing GPS and booking data to establish vehicle usage patterns. This data-driven approach informed a strategic two-phase solution.
Fleet Optimisation Project:
The initial analysis enabled Carbn to:
- Recommend rightsizing the fleet based on actual demand, ensuring the University's needs were met while reducing underutilised vehicles.
- Highlight opportunities to increase vehicle utilisation by addressing idle assets.
- Identify overall fleet reduction opportunities while maintaining mobility and service delivery requirements.
- Provide key insights to assist the University with the preparation of an informed market tender for an implementation partner.
Phased Electrification Strategy:
Following a successful RFP process, Carbn implemented its recommended strategy to transition the fleet to a more sustainable, lower-emission operation:
- Advising and liaising with charging infrastructure partner WeEV on specific charging requirements to support the phased introduction of EVs.
- Sourcing, financing and implementation of 68 new EVs (54% of the fleet), as replacements for 68 outgoing ICE vehicles in phase 1.
- Identification of fleet removal priorities to further optimise the fleet size.
- Zilch eMaaS technology: All new vehicles were fitted with Zilch electric Mobility as a Service technology, providing keyless vehicle entry coupled with a remote booking platform. This eliminated the need for key management and provided GPS data for real-time booking management, increasing the number of users per asset and leading to better utilisation and efficiency.
Ongoing Improvement:
As a trusted partner and advisor, Carbn continues to work with the University to constantly improve fleet emissions and drive efficiencies:
- Health and Safety Reporting: New reporting capabilities monitor driver behaviour and ensure compliance with safety standards.
- Zilch Lite Integration: Carbn's GPS-only solution is being considered for the remaining fleet vehicles to further enhance fleet optimisation activities.
- Private Bookings Launch: A new strategy allowing private bookings to increase per-vehicle utilisation and generate additional revenue is under evaluation. This option enables staff with zero-emission commuting opportunities, positively impacting Scope 3 emissions.
The Impact
By early 2024, the partnership had delivered significant results:
- Over 60% of fleet electrified – The proportion of EVs in the fleet had significantly increased to over 60%, reducing the University's reliance on petrol and hybrid vehicles.
- Fleet optimisation in action – The optimisation strategies are successfully aligning the fleet size with actual demand, allowing vehicle redundancies to be identified.
- Data-driven continuous improvement – Carbn's data-driven approach has helped the University gain better insights into fleet operations, resulting in continuous improvements in vehicle utilisation, health & safety, and sustainability.
- Enhanced operational visibility – The Zilch eMaaS technology provides real-time GPS data and booking management, enabling better asset utilisation and eliminating key management overhead.
"Carbn's booking technology and processes revealed further optimisation opportunities. We're now collaborating to refine these insights and implement additional strategies to further improve per-vehicle utilisation."
— University of Waikato
This partnership demonstrates how a strategic approach to fleet transition, supported by data and advanced technology, can drive sustainability, operational improvements, and cost efficiencies within large organisations.
Lessons for Others
The University of Waikato's experience offers valuable insights for other organisations considering fleet transformation:
- Start with data, not assumptions. Comprehensive utilisation analysis using GPS and booking data reveals actual usage patterns and identifies optimisation opportunities before electrification.
- Optimise and electrify together. Rightsizing the fleet while transitioning to EVs maximises both environmental and operational benefits.
- Technology enables efficiency. In-car technology like Zilch eMaaS provides keyless access, real-time tracking, and booking management that increases per-vehicle utilisation.
- Phased approaches reduce risk. Starting with 54% of the fleet allows for learning and refinement before full transition.
- Partnership extends beyond implementation. Ongoing collaboration enables continuous improvement and identification of new opportunities like private bookings.
- Integration matters. Working with charging infrastructure partners ensures the technical foundation supports operational needs.
Your Turn
Through collaboration with Carbn, the University of Waikato has made strides towards a more sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective fleet operation. Carbn's comprehensive solution has not only helped the University accelerate towards its environmental goals but also enabled it to improve overall fleet performance and optimise resources.
If your organisation is ready to optimise and electrify your fleet, Carbn can help you develop a data-driven solution tailored to your unique needs and goals.
👉 Contact us: info@carbn.nz