NRMA’s first EV patrol van hits the road

In the gritty day-to-day of roadside assistance, reliability is king. So when the NRMA decided to put its first electric patrol van into full-time service, eyebrows naturally lifted. Could a battery-powered van really cut it in a job where minutes matter and payloads are tight?

Turns out, yes – it can. And it’s already doing just that.

Why the Mercedes-Benz eVito?

The first fully electric patrol van in NRMA’s fleet is a Mercedes-Benz eVito, chosen for one simple reason: it offered the best balance of range and payload.

Other EVs were considered, but as NRMA’s team sized up the specs, the eVito stood out. It wasn’t about bells and whistles; it was about getting the job done. “We needed a van that could haul our gear and still clock enough kilometres on a single charge to get through a full shift,” Kristy Harder, Senior Manager Metro Patrols Roadside Delivery, says. “The eVito delivered on both fronts.”

This isn’t just a one-off experiment, either. It’s part of NRMA’s broader goal to transition 30% of its patrol fleet to electric vehicles and 20% to hybrids by 2030.

Power to the people, and the patrol vans

This move to go electric wasn’t made in a vacuum. According to an internal Sustainability and Climate Change survey, 84% of NRMA members and a staggering 94% of employees expect the organisation to actively reduce its carbon emissions. With fuel use sitting in the top two sources of emissions across the NRMA Group, switching some patrol vans to electric isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a must-do.

“We’ve been helping members with their EVs for years,” said Harder. “It makes sense that our own patrol vehicles start shifting to electric, too.”

Building an EV fit for the frontline

The road to EV patrol hasn’t been without potholes. Fitting out a patrol van is always a balancing act, but when you’re dealing with battery range, every kilogram counts.

“We had to re-think the entire setup,” the fit-out team said. Metal shelving? Out. Heavy toolboxes? Trimmed back. Only the essentials made the cut. And then came the rub: no longer could they rely on a vehicle’s alternator to power compressors or jumpstart flat batteries.

Instead, the team went with a portable 12V tyre inflator to replace the compressor, battery-operated jacks, and dual jump-start battery packs. Solar panels were added to the roof to keep the accessory battery charged. It powers essentials like lights, the fridge, and tools – even the EFTPOS machine if needed.

The van also doesn’t get tucked away into a depot overnight. Patrols take it home, so charging had to be rethought. Turns out, this wasn’t as tricky as expected.

“We can charge during standby time at public chargers or while parked for a break. And overnight, a standard trickle charge from a garage outlet does the job. We even have a device that measures the electricity used so we can reimburse patrols,” says Harder.

From rumbling van to a smooth electric drive

On the road, the eVito is holding its own. The only real difference? It can’t salvage a car using a tow rope, due to its lower towing capacity. The patrol team is still trialling how far it can push the range in freeway and regional driving versus city and urban areas.

But Patrols are impressed. “There’s no cabin vibration, no engine noise. It’s way more relaxing to drive,” one driver said. “I didn’t realise how much fatigue came from sitting in a rumbling diesel van all day.”

 
NRMA's Patrols embrace new technologies but this is not universal across the whole team.

Some were sceptical at first – especially the old-school mechanics who’ve spent their careers around petrol and diesel engines. But once they got behind the wheel, the doubts melted away. “We had ICE-loving Patrols who’d never driven an EV before, and now they’re lining up to try it,” one Patrol technician shared. “We expected resistance, but what we got was curiosity.”

In fact, one of the most surprising outcomes was how little disruption the switch caused. Range anxiety? Not a big deal. Charging? Easier than expected. Equipment? Slight tweaks and new tools got the job done.

And from the public’s point of view? “Most people don’t even notice it’s electric. It just gets on with the job.”

Lessons learned

This pilot has been more than a trial, it’s also been a crash course in how to electrify a service fleet.

One big lesson? Don’t assume your team won’t be on board. “Our people were more excited than we expected. We had multiple volunteers keen to try the van. That’s a good sign for what’s next,” says Harder.

Another takeaway: think differently about fit-outs. Be bold about your goals and what jobs your vehicle needs to deliver. Essential tools that cannot be substituted take priority for weight allocation. You can’t just do what you’ve always done. Every component was reviewed through the lens of weight, power, and utility. 

There were also practical issues around the fit-out itself – finding suppliers and installers with experience in EV commercial vehicle conversions was tough. But each challenge came with a solution, and those solutions now form the blueprint for future rollouts.

What’s next?

NRMA is already planning to trial up to five more electric vans in the next 12 months, with a broader rollout expected by the end of 2025.

Each new trial will explore different operational environments and duty cycles. The team is keen to see how the EVs perform in varied conditions and across different regions.

It’s a cautious, methodical approach, but one backed by enthusiasm.

Advice for other fleets

If you’re thinking of switching to EVs in your fleet, NRMA has some straight-up advice: don’t underestimate your people. Says Harder: “They’re more ready than you think.”

Also, don’t wait for perfection. “The tools weren’t a perfect fit at first. Charging wasn’t a seamless plan from day one. But we worked through it. Learning and asking our team for feedback throughout the trial. Our team is our greatest asset and are the experts in how their vehicle performs on the job, and solving problems as we go.”

And finally, pick your first EV carefully. “Payload, range and vehicle height to get into low car parks were key for us,” Harder concludes. “You need something that can carry the load and last the day.”

Driving towards change

Ultimately, the eVito pilot is about more than just reducing emissions or testing out new tech. It’s about future-proofing the organisation – and doing it in a way that’s real, visible, and grounded in service delivery.

For NRMA, this is one van, one step. But it’s already sending a clear signal: the electric future isn’t coming – it’s here, it’s working, and it’s ready for the next job.