Michael Mills, Fleet Manager at Essential Energy, didn’t come to the 2025 IPWEA Fleet Conference to tell fleet managers what they already know. Instead, he offered a practical, forward-looking case study showing how Essential Energy has evolved its fleet maintenance program using technology, data, and a fair bit of good old-fashioned persistence.
Over the past six years, Essential Energy has transformed from a fully outsourced fleet model to a fully insourced operation. That shift hasn’t just brought greater control—it’s unlocked a deeper understanding of their assets and the ability to innovate using advanced tools like artificial intelligence, automation, and even digital twins.
A Massive Operation With Unique Challenges
Essential Energy operates one of the most diverse and geographically dispersed fleets in Australia. With around 1,400 light vehicles, 600 heavy trucks, over 200 elevated work platforms, and a host of specialised equipment like UTVs, forklifts, and even boats, the fleet covers more than 34 million kilometres each year.
Servicing vehicles in different locations—from Ballina in the north to Barooga in the south—means adapting maintenance plans to local conditions. “We service a vehicle differently in Ballina than we do in Barooga,” Mills explained, citing climate and terrain as key influences.
Building a Reliable Maintenance Framework
The foundation of Essential Energy’s strategy is a clear, documented maintenance program. “It’s basically saying: we want you to do these few things at this interval on this vehicle,” said Mills.
The company uses Oracle Maintenance Cloud, though Mills acknowledged it’s not about which software you use—it’s about how good your data is. Whether your system is digital or still on a whiteboard, a strong maintenance program should be clear, consistent, and measurable.
While Essential Energy’s program is time-based (as opposed to kilometre-based), Mills emphasised that there’s no one-size-fits-all. “We know 10% of our fleet does more kilometres than the time allows for, but it’s a minimal effort to adjust.”
Unlocking the Power of Technology
Mills was candid about the “boring but necessary” side of maintenance—policies, procedures, user guides—but pointed out that getting the basics right unlocks the benefits of automation.
“When we implemented a CMMS [Computerised Maintenance Management System], we knew the system would only be as good as the data in it. So, we prioritised training, clarity, and data integrity.”
Now, with clean data and clear processes in place, Essential Energy is using artificial intelligence to spot trends, automate tasks, and provide insights that were previously impossible. One early success involved using AI to flag a faulty batch of shock absorbers—before it became a widespread issue. “That’s adaptive maintenance in action,” Mills explained.
Visual Dashboards & Gamification
With a massive team to coordinate, Essential Energy has turned compliance tracking into a game. “The team loves to see they’re doing a great job—and they’re gamifying against their partners,” Mills said. These dashboards give managers a real-time view of performance, helping them know when to step in and when to back off.
It’s not just about the fleet team either. Technicians use a field app to complete inspections, log defects, and access asset histories—all in real-time. “We’ve moved from a paper-based pre-start to a fully digital system with QR codes. It’s our user interface for everything from defects to vehicle change requests.”
Adaptive Maintenance and AI Insights
Adaptive maintenance is where Essential Energy sees huge opportunity. Instead of fixing things when they break, they’re now predicting failures and adjusting programs dynamically. “If the data shows we’re replacing more tyres or seeing more broken taillights in one region, we adapt. It’s proactive, not reactive.”
Behind this is a combination of AI and in-vehicle monitoring systems (IVMS), cross-referencing work orders, defects, and invoice data to deliver real-time operational intelligence. The result? A more efficient fleet and fewer surprises.
Digital Twins: A Glimpse into the Future
One of the most cutting-edge developments is Essential Energy’s use of a digital twin for its fleet. Borrowed from network engineering and mining, this virtual model allows simulation of routes, load scenarios, and maintenance strategies. “We can now run ‘what-if’ analyses on everything from job planning to vehicle allocation,” Mills said.
This tech has the potential to reveal unknown efficiencies. “We can simulate how much fuel and cost we’d save by placing different vehicles in different areas. It’s early days, but the possibilities are incredible.”
In-House Model, Data-Driven Results
Mills is proud of the move to bring maintenance in-house—a change that has only been possible because of technology. Automation and AI haven’t replaced people; they’ve freed them to focus on meaningful tasks. “We’re not cutting headcount. We’re unlocking capacity. We’re letting people use their brains—not spend hours processing invoices.”
A Sustainable, Smarter Future
At its heart, Essential Energy’s strategy is about cost efficiency and community service. “We’re here to provide a cheaper, safer, better fleet—not to reduce headcount or assets, but to get more from what we’ve got.”
By embracing digitisation, Essential Energy is helping reduce the cost of electricity delivery for customers—literally cents on the dollar. And for the fleet team, the work is more rewarding, more forward-looking, and more aligned with the future of transport.
Key Takeaways for Fleet Managers:
- Start with clean data – it’s the backbone of every digital solution.
- Train your people well – automation only works when everyone understands the process.
- Use technology to free capacity – AI, dashboards and digitisation don’t replace people, they amplify them.
- Embrace adaptive maintenance – review and revise your plans as new insights emerge.
- Think bigger – tools like digital twins can reshape how you plan, buy and maintain assets.
Essential Energy’s story is proof that fleet maintenance doesn’t have to be reactive, manual, or clunky. With the right tools and mindset, it can be one of the most innovative and strategic parts of any organisation.
Are you ready to start your tech-enabled maintenance journey? See you in Melbourne for the 2026 IPWEA Fleet Conference.
