New partnership to speed up the shift to low-emissions fleets

Updated 12 days ago

This is branded content for Custom Fleet.

Fleet management and leasing business Custom Fleet has entered a strategic partnership with mobility technology company Carbn Group to accelerate the shift to cleaner, more data-driven fleets across Australia and New Zealand.

The move comes as the global automotive sector undergoes rapid change.

A recent report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that advances in electric vehicles and battery technology are reshaping the industry and influencing global energy markets.

EVs remain central to the energy transition, but organisations are also exploring quieter, data-led ways to reduce emissions through smarter fleet use and mobility-as-a-service models.

The partnership will see Carbn's platform scaled, over time, across Custom Fleet's more than 110,000 vehicles under management in Australia and New Zealand.

Business customers will gain access to new sustainability tools, telematics capability and mobility-as-a-service solutions.

Carbn also owns Zilch, a public and enterprise-facing EV car-sharing network operating in New Zealand. This enables Carbn to support consumer sharing, enterprise pool-cars, and subscription MaaS mobility from the same technology foundation.

Custom Fleet president Chris Tulloch said the agreement marked a shift for organisations wanting to decarbonise without compromising performance or cost control.

"Custom Fleet is committed to leading the shift to sustainable, data-driven mobility," he said.

"This partnership strengthens that commitment across Australia and New Zealand, combining our scale and experience with Carbn's technology to create meaningful value for our customers."

Mr Tulloch said the fleet industry was facing its biggest disruption in decades as electrification, connectivity and carbon targets converged.

"We're making a meaningful investment to build an ecosystem that delivers measured mobility outcomes, not just day-to-day fleet management," he said.

Carbn Group's director and chief executive Shaun Drylie said partnering with a major regional provider would help more organisations move faster on emissions and cost.

"This partnership reflects a shared ambition to accelerate sustainable mobility through technology and innovation," he said.

"Together we're helping businesses move more efficiently, cut emissions and reduce costs."

For Australian organisations, the shift is expected to support compliance with tighter climate reporting requirements and emissions-reduction targets, especially across large corporates and public sector agencies.

Both companies say better use of data - from vehicle utilisation to route optimisation - will be essential to reducing transport emissions without disrupting operations.

The partnership will combine technology, data insights, advisory services and flexible financing to help customers improve asset utilisation, control costs and deliver measurable emissions reductions.

The agreement reinforces Custom Fleet's push to lead local fleet transformation and underlines Carbn Group's role as an emerging innovator in sustainable mobility.

It also aligns with the global strategy of Custom Fleet's parent, Element Fleet Management, which is rolling out smarter, lower-emissions mobility solutions across its North American, Australian and New Zealand operations.