Why Fleet Managers Need Smarter Tools for EV Transition

Marty Andrews has been part of Australia’s EV story from the very beginning. As co-founder and former CEO of Chargefox, he helped build the country’s first major fast-charging network. Today, as Advisor and Head of Strategy at Roev, he’s focused on giving Fleet Managers the tools to plan and manage their electrification journey.

From Zero to a National Network

In 2017, when Chargefox was founded, public charging in Australia was almost non-existent. “You could count the number of high-power chargers in the country on one hand,” Marty recalled. “If you had anything other than a Tesla, you simply couldn’t drive Sydney to Melbourne without overnight stops.”

Chargefox changed that by rolling out a national backbone of high-speed charging. With ARENA support and partnerships with car brands like Mercedes, Jaguar Land Rover and Hyundai, the team connected Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide with reliable public sites.

The first flagship location, Euroa in Victoria, opened in 2018. It featured 350kW chargers, a solar array and battery storage — infrastructure that’s still considered cutting-edge. “That was the first big step for EVs in Australia,” Marty said.

Building Momentum, Then Moving On

Once the backbone was in place, the network grew rapidly. Councils, shopping centres and businesses turned to Chargefox as the obvious platform. “The backbone is important, but it’s not the whole picture,” Marty explained. “You still need the tributaries — the smaller sites — and we became the obvious choice.”

By the early 2020s, Chargefox had grown into the country’s largest open charging network. Marty eventually stepped back, selling the business and taking time out before looking for his next challenge.

Slower Adoption Than Expected

Reflecting on the past decade, Marty admits EV uptake in Australia has been slower than he anticipated.

“Government policy really put the brakes on after the 2018 election,” he said. “For several years, we were tracking below even the worst-case scenario modelling.”

But he believes the tide is now turning. “We’re just starting to cross the chasm from early adopters into mainstream. To get there, it comes down to economics. Cars need to be price-comparable, and there need to be enough models for buyers to walk into a dealership and see real choice.”

Enter Roev: Data for Decision-Making

It’s against this backdrop that Marty joined Roev. Unlike Chargefox, which built physical infrastructure, Roev is focused on data and decision-making for fleets.

“I was immediately impressed with the software,” he said. “They knew how to present data in ways meaningful to fleet managers. It wasn’t just a dashboard — it was a tool you could actually use.”

Roev’s platform integrates fuel card data, fleet records and external sources. It helps managers identify which vehicles are suitable for electrification, compare costs, and plan gradual transitions.

“If you’ve got 50 vehicles, Roev can tell you which 17 make sense to transition first,” Marty explained. “That’s the kind of insight fleet managers need.”

Managing the Hybrid Fleet

For most organisations, the next decade will mean running mixed fleets of petrol, hybrid and electric vehicles. Roev supports managers in both transition planning and day-to-day management.

“People don’t want to dip in and out of multiple systems,” Marty said. “Roev puts it all in one place. You can manage energy, emissions and performance side by side.”

The roadmap goes further, linking with solar, batteries and charging to support broader energy strategies. Accurate emissions reporting is also a key feature, helping organisations meet compliance and sustainability goals.

Beyond Consultants

Fleet managers have long relied on consultants for transition planning. Marty doesn’t see that changing — but he believes software can extend the value.

“Consultants do an excellent job, but most fleet managers only get a one-off report,” he said. “A report is a snapshot in time. Software lives on. If you keep feeding in your data, it continues to pay dividends.”

The Long Road Ahead

For Marty, Roev represents the next stage of fleet electrification: moving beyond pilots and policies into everyday management.

“Even once you’re fully electric, you’re still managing turnover, residuals and replacement cycles. It’s never finished — it’s just the next phase,” he said.

From helping build Australia’s first charging network to shaping the tools fleets need today, Marty Andrews has played a central role in the country’s EV journey. And with Roev, he’s ensuring fleet managers have the confidence to keep moving forward.

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