Over 120 business leaders and fleet managers attend the first-ever EROAD Fleet Expo, a unique event aimed at embracing vehicle technologies, data, and promoting a greener, safer future for the light fleet industry.
The event, sponsored by EROAD and the Greater Wellington Regional Council, features expert insights from Jonathan Parker, founder of ThunderGrid, Auto Media Group managing editor Richard Edwards and ChargeNet CEO Danusia Wypych.
Jeanette Parsons, fleet manager at the Greater Wellington Regional Council, expresses her support for the event: “As a fleet manager, the EROAD Fleet Expo is an invaluable, unique event for the industry to embrace vehicle technologies and data whilst motivating us all as we look towards a greener, safer future! Greater Wellington Regional Council is proud to support such an inspirational event!”
The EROAD Fleet Expo partners with multiple car dealerships, including Hyundai NZ, Capital City Ford, and others, showcasing over 60 different light fleet models for attendees to experience. The event provides a unique opportunity for participants to test drive various vehicles on a purpose-built track and off-road.
Konrad Stempniak, EROAD’s executive general manager for Australia and New Zealand, explains the purpose of the event: “Fleet Expo is an excellent way to bring together light fleet professionals and businesses to discuss the challenges, trends, and opportunities they’re facing.”
Transportation contributes to 17% of New Zealand’s emissions, and in a recent EROAD survey, 76% of businesses operating light vehicles claim that low or zero-emissions vehicles will become part of their fleet by 2025. The EROAD Fleet Expo aims to help businesses comprehend the options available to them and learn from each other as they work to reduce emissions.
Stempniak further explains, “We want to help break down some of the barriers that might be getting in the way of progress towards net-zero. Fleet Expo is designed to serve up knowledge, industry connections, and first-hand experience of new technologies in a single event – something that hasn’t been available to light fleet professionals until now.”
During the event, over 120 fleet professionals, experts, and business leaders engage in discussions on electrification, actions leaders should take now to prepare for the future, fleet optimization, leasing versus buying, and planning for EV charging infrastructure. One attendee highlights the benefits of the event, stating, “the benefits of being able to drive the vehicles first-hand rather than viewing them statically are immense.”
EROAD, currently developing a fleet decarbonisation tool in conjunction with EECA, hopes that the event will encourage more fleet businesses to initiate or advance their own fleet sustainability programs.
Stempniak concludes, “We know fleets want to better understand their emissions and ways to reduce them. We also know the pathway can be unclear. As well as technology solutions, businesses need to be able to learn from each other, and that’s where events like this come in.”
