Ausgrid has been named the winner of the 2025 Fleet Environment Award at this year’s Australasian Fleet Management Association (AfMA) Conference, recognised for its ambitious electric vehicle rollout and outstanding leadership in fleet sustainability.
The award, sponsored by Hyundai Australia and Karmo, was presented by Scott Nargar, Manager of Environment, Mobility and Government Relations at Hyundai, and Laura Harewood, Chief Operating Officer at Karmo. In their remarks, both sponsors acknowledged the vital role that fleet operators play in Australia’s low-emissions transition.
“We continue to push for growth in zero-emission vehicles and welcome emission regulations to help reach national targets,” said Nargar. “What Ausgrid has done sets a benchmark for the fleet industry.”
Accepting the award on behalf of Ausgrid, Tim Kynoch, Fleet Engineering Strategy Manager, said the company’s electrification strategy has been transformative—and it’s just getting started.
“As a grid operator, we have a responsibility to show customers and communities how electrification can reduce bills and improve environmental outcomes. We’ve committed to electrifying 900 vehicles by 2029, across both light and heavy segments.”
Ausgrid’s internal adoption has accelerated rapidly. The business now operates 111 EVs with 40 more on the way, and staff have driven more than 1.5 million kilometres in electric vehicles. That has avoided the use of more than 80,000 litres of fuel and reduced emissions by 33%.
Kynoch acknowledged that there were early challenges, particularly around range anxiety and infrastructure. “The first concern is always range. So we had to plan our rollout carefully to ensure the vehicles met operational requirements. We’ve also had to develop a whole new language—talking kilowatt-hours instead of litres, understanding battery chemistries, and integrating charging infrastructure.”
To support employee engagement, Ausgrid introduced free on-site charging for staff vehicles, which has led to a noticeable increase in staff converting to EVs. “We now get more and more requests every day for additional charging stations.”
During his speech, Kynoch paid tribute to the wider team that made the rollout possible, highlighting contributions across engineering, maintenance, procurement, and analytics. “This award is recognition for 18 months of intense work—and it’s just the beginning.”
“We’re proving that electric vehicles can meet our operational needs and reduce ongoing fleet costs. They’re cheaper to run, better for the environment, and safer for our teams,” he said.
Kynoch closed with a personal note to fleet professionals in the room: “I’ve never been a huge environmentalist, but the climate is changing. Bigger bushfires. More frequent floods. We can all influence that. This is our role to play. So get in the driver’s seat.”
Ausgrid’s approach exemplifies how operational fleets can lead Australia’s transition to cleaner transport—demonstrating that strong leadership, smart planning and early adoption can overcome barriers to build a more sustainable future.
