The EROAD Fleet Day in Hamilton wrapped with energy and insight as four industry leaders tackled the big questions about innovation, infrastructure and electrification in the final session: the Fleet Tech Innovation Panel.
Moderated by broadcaster Steve McIvor, the panel featured Jonny Parker (CEO, Thundergrid), Warren Willmot (General Manager, BTD NZ), Marc Sibbald (Director – Fleet, IPWEA), and Richard Edwards (Managing Director, NZ Autocar & Automedia Group). The conversation moved fast, but the message was clear: technology is moving, and fleet operators need to move with it—or risk being left behind.
From Telematics to Terawatts: What’s Hot in Fleet Tech?
Each panelist was asked to share what’s gaining traction in fleet tech. For Marc Sibbald, the answer was clear: telematics.
“It’s not the silver bullet,” said Sibbald, “but the potential is enormous—especially when used for fleet planning and EV transition. The data gives you the confidence to make smart changes.”
Richard Edwards focused on software integration in vehicles. “The car is now an app on wheels,” he explained, sharing a personal story of unlocking his wife’s car remotely after she dropped the key in the sea. For fleets, this kind of control has real-time, operational benefits.
Jonny Parker brought the big picture: high-powered energy storage. Thundergrid is enabling megawatt-scale charging without massive grid upgrades by installing containerised batteries that act like energy reservoirs.
Warren Willmot offered a glimpse into the future with BYD’s innovations, revealing that megawatt charging—capable of delivering 1,000kW and recharging in under five minutes—is coming soon. “It’ll be faster than filling up with petrol,” he said.
Vehicle-to-Grid and the New Energy Economy
Both Parker and Willmot pointed to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability as a game changer.
Willmot said BYD is on track to offer V2G across its range by 2027. Parker elaborated on how fleets could turn their vehicles into mobile energy banks, storing and selling power depending on grid demand. “It puts more power in the consumer’s hands,” Parker said.
But will power companies allow it? “The smart ones will get onboard,” said Parker. “If not, they risk being left behind.”
EV Adoption: The Corporate Push
The panel turned to what’s driving EV adoption—and what’s holding it back. Willmot was blunt: “The market got flooded when subsidies ended. Some brands panicked and slashed prices. But the cheap cars are gone now—and fleets still want to decarbonise.”
Sibbald noted a key shift: “For years, fleet managers were pushing up to executives about EVs. Now it’s coming down from the top—investors and corporates are demanding low-emission solutions.”
Richard Edwards pointed to the hybrid boom, noting hybrids have now overtaken petrol cars in NZ. “We’re still sorting through the market disruption caused by government policy flip-flops,” he said. “But I think we’ll go more electric than people expect.”
Range Anxiety? Not for Fleet Professionals
Despite public fears, the panel agreed that charging infrastructure is better than many think—especially when fleets take ownership of the setup.
“90% of our customers charge at home,” said Willmot. “The data shows it’s not really an issue.” Edwards agreed, saying complaints usually come from poorly managed rollouts: “If you don’t train your people, they’ll say charging is hard. If you do it right, there’s no drama.”
Parker added nuance: “It depends on the vehicle and the job. Passenger cars? No problem. But high-utilisation delivery fleets? That’s where we need flash charging.”
Long-Term ROI: Fewer Cars, Lower Costs
The conversation turned to return on investment (ROI). For Sibbald, EV transition is the moment fleets start rethinking asset use. “You evaluate the fleet and realise you don’t need 100 cars—you need 80. That’s instant ROI.”
Willmot warned diesel fleet owners: “Think about what those utes will be worth in three years. The bottom is going to fall out of that market.”
Richard Edwards echoed the need for better data on residual values: “We’ll soon see the first big wave of used EVs from fleet turnarounds. That’ll show us the real market.”
Battery Tech: A New Era Approaches
To close out the session, McIvor asked where battery tech is heading. Willmot offered a roadmap:
- Blade Battery 2 (2026): Denser, lighter, and more efficient.
- Sodium Batteries (mid-2020s): Cheaper and abundant—“$300 a tonne vs $20,000 for lithium.”
- Solid State (2029): “Five-minute charging. 2,000 km range. Game over.”
The $10 Million Question: Where Would You Invest?
To close, each panelist answered where they’d put $10 million in fleet innovation:
- Parker: “Infrastructure planning—get the cables in before the vehicles arrive.”
- Willmot: “Flash charging—it’s the new petrol station.”
- Sibbald: “Solar and storage—start with the sun.”
Final Word: It’s About Education
As the sun set on EROAD Fleet Day 2025, Richard Edwards brought the discussion full circle: “Education is everything. When teams understand how EVs work, the transition becomes easy.”
From energy storage to telematics to solar integration, the panel painted a clear picture: the fleet future is cleaner, smarter, and more connected—but only for those ready to make the move.
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