The transition to electric fleets is no longer a distant ambition; it is now a rapidly advancing reality. Markets are evolving quickly, energy costs remain volatile, and operators require a more modular and adaptive approach to fleet management. Automation in routing, predictive maintenance, software-defined vehicles, and digital replicas of assets is now vital to success in the years ahead. The first stage of electrification was characterised by the early adoption of telematics, connectivity protocols, and the networking of vehicles and chargers.
How Data and Telematics Are Transforming Transportation
Transportation continues to evolve, powered by connected technologies that are advancing rapidly. Many fleet management platforms have progressed from niche tools to enterprise-wide solutions, and today’s marketplace now prioritises simplification to save time and reduce costs. In turn, this accelerates operational decisions and brings vehicles to the road faster. Low-code and open integration standards such as OCPP and OCPI are in higher demand than ever, enabling flexible scaling of charging networks and interoperability between operators, OEMs, and mobility service providers.
At the same time, new requirements are emerging for vehicles and charging systems alike. Human–machine interactions, driver assistance, and AI-powered cognitive systems are now key themes, reshaping how operators approach uptime and efficiency. Digital twins of vehicles, chargers, and entire depots are now deployed to model performance virtually before physical rollouts. Engineers can simulate and optimise routing, energy demand, and charger reliability in virtual environments, then apply those insights directly to operations. Control systems are now virtualised and hosted in cloud environments, reducing reliance on hardware and enabling real-time operational control across entire fleets.
The connectivity established in the early stages of telematics adoption is now creating secure data spaces that enable safe, governed data exchange among multiple stakeholders. This paves the way for advanced applications, from fleet-wide asset visualisation to new business models powered by machine learning, including battery state-of-health estimation, charger anomaly detection, and predictive maintenance.
The Future of Electric Fleets
The new chapter of transportation is a story of smart applications and emerging opportunities, where electric buses and trucks can be dynamically routed, charging loads balanced against fluctuating tariffs, and vehicles able to communicate with depots to minimise downtime. It is also a story of risk. Cybersecurity is now the top priority for senior executives in the transport sector. With growing reliance on connected infrastructure, the risks of data breaches, unauthorised access, and system outages are rising.
