Few can claim a career as diverse and impactful as Martin Edgecox. From working with OEMs and navigating the automotive supply chain to shaping industry standards as a board member of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP), in his own words, he has “been around the block.”
Now, Edgecox is using this expertise to tackle one of the industry’s biggest challenges: aligning a diverse fleet with the bold goal of a net-zero future.
As National Highways’ national fleet manager, Edgecox leads a team of nine people delivering ultra-low and zero-emission vehicles to the business. He also heads up the company’s fleet strategy, working collaboratively with the Department for Transport (DfT) and Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) to meet ambitious carbon targets.
National Highways manages and maintains England’s strategic road network, covering 4,300 miles of motorways and major A-roads. Its fleet is diverse, including traffic management response units, inspection vehicles, and amber light vehicles, all vital for ensuring smooth operations and swift responses to incidents. In line with DfT targets, the fleet is required to arrive at any incident within ten minutes and clear 95% of incidents within the hour – leaving minimal margin for error.
Now an arms-length government organisation, prior to 2019, National Highways was part of the civil service and central government, with general contracts in place to manage the fleet. “Fleet wasn’t as prevalent to operations as it is now,” explains Edgecox. “But as our customer needs evolved, so did our fleet requirements.” Once the need for a dedicated fleet was realised, Edgecox was asked to build and lead that team.
Seeking a solution
While the fleet’s starting point when it was created was to provide a fit-for-purpose fleet that supports the road network’s operational needs, Edgecox says the current focus is on transitioning the operational fleet to zero emissions.
The initial target was to transition 25% of the car fleet from ICE to ultra-low-emission plug-in hybrids by 2022. Edgecox explains, “We exceeded that goal, achieving 66%, and made significant progress. Now, our focus shifts to the next challenge: transitioning to zero-emission vehicles.”
This next goal presents a significant challenge, particularly with the government targets in place. “There’s no room for negotiation – it’s government policy, and as an amber light fleet, we don’t get exemptions like blue light fleets at the moment, so we must deliver,” says Edgecox. However, certain aspects of how the fleet operates make this transition particularly difficult.
The transition to zero emissions is particularly challenging for the National Highways fleet due to the unique and demanding nature of its operations—the ‘amber light’ fleet plays a critical role in supporting and protecting the public during incidents, breakdowns, or collisions on the strategic road network.
Edgecox explains that of the 1,300 vehicles on the fleet, 355 of them are dedicated to this purpose, operating 24/7, 365 days a year. These vehicles can be out for up to ten hours during an incident, carrying around 400kg of essential equipment such as road signs, cones, and safety gear, along with a two-crew traffic officer resource. They are also equipped with livery and light bars for visibility and safety. “Currently, there are no electric vehicles that can meet the operational demands of this role, making the shift to zero-emission vehicles especially difficult,” he says.
By 2027, all cars in the fleet, excluding traffic officer vehicles, must meet zero-emission targets – a highly ambitious goal. For traffic officer vehicles, the deadline extends to 2030 due to significant market challenges. “Currently, there isn’t a fully-electric heavy-duty 4×4 SUV capable of meeting our requirements: carrying 400kg of equipment, accommodating two robust traffic officers, and achieving a range of 450 miles,” notes Edgecox.
As Edgecox and his team await electric heavy-duty vehicles capable of meeting their operational demands, they’re forced to adapt and make the most of what’s currently available for the general car fleet to stay on track with government targets.
“In the South West, for example, the remote locations mean we may need to double up on EVs, with some charging while others are in use,” Edgecox explains. “Effective utilisation is key, and my team is constantly reviewing this. It’s a major undertaking to ensure we’re maximizing efficiency and return on investment because, ultimately, we’re working with taxpayers’ money.”
At the moment, the fleet is 81% plug-in hybrid and 16% electric, with the remaining 3% diesel. “The PHEV option suits the traffic officer operation as we always have the resilience of the petrol engine against the battery,” notes Edgecox. “We’re constantly thinking about how to develop that and cautiously drip-feed electric vehicles into that side of the operation. It’s a key challenge for us.”
Giving the drivers a say
When asked how the fleet’s drivers have reacted to the vehicles’ electrification, Edgecox laughs, saying, “It’s been a journey.”
The heavy-duty traffic officer fleet of vehicles has been in service since 2004, initially using 4×4 diesel vehicles like Mitsubishi Shoguns or JLR Discoverys until 2019. Transitioning to PHEVs, therefore, was a significant shift, and it came with its challenges.
“There was a lot of initial resistance as things changed drastically, but we engaged with the group early on, holding several workshops to explain the reasons behind the fleet change. While it wasn’t easy, it was ultimately embraced,” Edgecox explains. “It’s a significant culture shift. For 20 years, they’ve been used to refuelling vehicles with diesel, and suddenly, I’m asking them to plug in and walk away. It’s a major change for them.”
One thing that helped was the fact that the fleet team worked closely with the drivers to ensure their input shaped the vehicle’s design, making sure they had a stake in building and refining the fleet.
The Volvo XC90 is a great example of how the fleet team engaged with its driver community. “We ran a trial before purchasing, buying one unit and working closely with the team and Volvo to build and tweak it to their specifications,” says Edgecox. “After refining the model based on their feedback, we now have 230 of them in the fleet. This collaborative approach ensured that we understood the drivers’ needs, as they spend seven or eight hours a day in these vehicles.”
Now, this XC90 specification has become the industry benchmark in blue and amber light fleets. “I’m proud to say that police fleets now replicate our specifications,” Edgecox notes. “Having these groups involved and consulted has made it easier to guide them toward the next step: transitioning to electric vehicles. This collaboration is the key to moving forward in the EV space.”
An evolving fleet strategy
Despite the market challenges, the team is tackling this complex shift to zero emissions head-on with an aggressive procurement policy driven by Edgecox’s expertise.
Edgecox explains that he is very conscious that the fleet still needs to provide a customer service and move into that electric space. “As a relatively small fleet – we purchase around 200-300 units a year, which isn’t a significant volume for OEMs – we understand they’re unlikely to adjust the specifications of a 4×4 just because of us.” To address this, Edgecox tells us the team will continue to undertake pilot work with different OEMs over the next twelve to eighteen months; however, the details remain confidential.
Edgecox says: “We take a very proactive approach to working with OEMs – far more so than many other fleets. Having worked for an OEM myself, I understand how the relationships are critical and the best ways to initiate meaningful dialogue about new vehicles. Pilots are key for us; they allow us to innovate, get involved early, and assess whether a vehicle will meet our needs.
“Right now, we’re in active conversations with several OEMs and are passionate about driving progress. For us, it’s not just about hitting targets – it’s about ensuring long-term sustainability and fostering behaviour changes to help us become not only carbon-neutral but also carbon-efficient.”
And it’s not just about EVs, either. The fleet is also exploring hydrogen options. “Manufacturers are starting to develop these, and we’re actively engaging in those conversations,” says Edgecox, whose team is also proactively collaborating with other fleet operators and organisations, leveraging collective bargaining to strengthen their purchasing power.
A foot in the door
This is where Edgecox’s role as a board member at the AFP becomes particularly valuable.
He serves on the board with 13 directors with a specific responsibility for the public sector. “Historically, the public sector hasn’t received much focus, so I saw an opportunity to widen the scope and bring new members into the fold,” he notes. “My role is to amplify the voice of public sector fleets, including government fleets, local authorities, councils, and major utilities. Our mission is to support these fleet managers, ensuring they have a platform to be heard, share challenges and work together, and that’s exactly what I’m there to do.”
“It’s really about collectivism,” Edgecox explains. “We work closely with OZEV and the DfT, and through my position on the board, we’re actively promoting the industry and helping members articulate the challenges of transitioning to an EV fleet.
“We’ve taken these conversations to parliament, engaged with MPs, and are working directly with the department to push these discussions forward. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword in my role – I support operational challenges on one side and contribute to policy on the other. But that dual perspective is invaluable, and I genuinely enjoy it.”
While Edgecox says fleet management has evolved technologically over the years, he believes the core of the work remains rooted in relationships and face-to-face dialogue. “It’s quite traditional in that sense, and that’s a good thing. Strong relationships are key to developing expertise and building capacity, and I hope that approach continues for a long time.”
Staying agile to stay ahead
Edgecox believes the fleet can make significant progress and stay ahead of the curve by being agile, but it all comes down to building strong relationships. “I’m fortunate to have an outstanding team that makes this possible. I lead an outstanding team of nine fleet practitioners and we collaborate closely. They handle the day-to-day operations, ensuring that the fleet stays on the road, which is our top priority. This allows me to focus on building relationships within the industry and supply chain, whilst seeking out new opportunities, which is crucial for our continued success,” Edgecox says.
The market is tough, with recent news of Ford’s job cuts and Nissan’s concerns about EV resale values. “I’m determined not to be caught off guard,” says Edgecox, “and that’s why we’re proactive in our approach. We believe anything is possible when we stay ahead and keep adapting.”
“Recently, I was on a public sector fleet panel,” says Edgecox, “and someone asked, ‘What’s the one piece of advice for evolving your fleet?’ My answer was simple: never rule anything out. Too often, people dismiss ideas or options without giving them proper consideration. The pace of technological evolution is so fast that you could miss an opportunity for a quick win or a meaningful change that supports your fleet’s journey. Stay open-minded – it could make all the difference.”
