Empowering Fleet Electrification: Solutions for the Future (Amy Dobrikova)

In this episode of the Mile Marker podcast, Amy Dobrikova, VP of Fleet Solutions at Rexel Energy Solutions discusses the company’s role in providing hardware and infrastructure solutions for fleets transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs), addressing challenges like parts shortages and reliability. She emphasizes the importance of planning, partnerships, and selecting quality hardware, while also highlighting the growing adoption of EVs across all vehicle types. Amy shares insights into the future of fleet electrification.

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Transcript

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You are listening to the Mile Marker Podcast,

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where we explore trends and innovations in fleet automation

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and shared mobility, helping fleet based businesses make

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better informed decisions

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and achieve full digital transformation.

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Welcome everyone to the Mile Market podcast.

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I'm your host, Angela Simoes,

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and I'm here with Amy Dobrikova, VP

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of Fleet Solutions at Rexel Energy Solutions. Welcome, Amy.

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Thank you for having me.

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So, tell us a little bit about your work

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with Rexel Energy Solutions, you know, what you do

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and the types of customer challenges

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that you're helping to solve.

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Yeah, so Rexel Energy Solutions,

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we are an electrical distributor.

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We specialize in energy efficiency, so improving buildings,

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so lighting, HVAC,

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and of course EV charging is a big part of that.

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We have under Rexel USA over 650 locations across

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North America, and my role is primarily to work

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with fleets directly

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and help them as they're rolling out their infrastructure

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plan to achieve their EV targets

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and sustainability goals as a company.

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One of the biggest challenges that

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they've been coming to me with is

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just not having access to parts

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to keep the chargers online.

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And so we're working on a solution for that.

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But we're also, you know, they've been going direct

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with a lot of different manufacturers,

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and that's a lot of different contracts

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and that's a lot of different, um, distribution

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that's lacking.

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And that's where we can kind of come in

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and say, let us be your one stop shop solution

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where no matter which manufacturer you wanna go with,

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we can provide you multiple quotes

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and provide stocking

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and inventory on the, on the high replacement, um, chargers

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or any new chargers that they want to install.

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So you're talking about

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establishing like charging depots specifically

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for their fleets, correct?

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Well, so we provide the hardware. Okay.

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We're strictly hardware.

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Um, we've got boots on the ground locations.

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We not only do the charging stations,

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but we do the transformers, the switch gear, the conduit.

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Okay. The pipe and the wire. Right.

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And so as a fleet,

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whether they're building it out in their depot

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or whether they need public infrastructure

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or whether they have take home vehicles, we can work

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with them and provide them the

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hardware that they're gonna need for that.

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Because as an EV driver, I know that

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charging at public infrastructure can be very challenging.

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I mean, I can't remember the last time I went to

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a public charging depot and there wasn't one not working.

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Right. Mm-Hmm. Like, they break down all the time.

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So I imagine that that can be a challenge for companies

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that even set up their own depots, right?

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Mm-Hmm. And have a little bit more control over, you know,

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which ones are working and which ones are, are not.

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Um, so what are some of the challenges though, when it comes

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to, I guess setting up that infrastructure?

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Right? Mm-Hmm. Because yeah, that's a,

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it's not just sticking it in the ground.

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There's like a whole mess of stuff

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that goes in the ground, right?

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Right. Yeah. So there's a lot of step it takes.

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What I always say is, the more you plan and layout

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and bring in the right partners, um,

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make sure you're picking quality hardware.

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You know, Rexel stands behind every manufacturer we represent.

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Um, having the right

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installation partner to do the work.

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And, and the uptime reliability is critical, right?

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And so that could be typically software

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or just having the ability to be notified that

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that charger isn't working because fleet is

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a critical asset, right?

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Mm-Hmm. If that electric vehicle isn't getting charged when

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it's supposed to get charged and it goes to start its day

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and it's not working because the charger didn't

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work, that's a huge problem. That

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Is a huge problem. Yeah.

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Right? And so what are, what can we do

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as an organization to help solve for that?

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Um, so representing hardware manufacturers

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that have strong software, um, working with o

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and m partners,

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and maintenance partners that, um,

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can reset the software quickly.

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And then also, you know, having access to the parts.

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So talk a little bit about

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when you make a recommendation to a customer about, "listen,

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you really should have your own depot.

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You should have your cust, your driver's charge at home,

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you should be using public infrastructure..."

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or a combination of all of that.

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Is there, you know, is there sort of software that sort

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of helps you figure that out?

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I mean, how do you, because there,

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it could be a combination, right?

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But, or maybe, I

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don't know. And that's not something,

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you know, we personally do. Okay.

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So the fleet typically will, will already have their plan.

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Mm. Um, they know, you know, what they've been doing

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with their IC vehicles, whether they were take home

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or not, whether they have a depot or not.

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Where, where we come in is helping them bring in the right

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partners, um, if they need, you know, who,

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who do we call to do installation?

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Right. Or helping them, which charger do I go with?

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Do I need DC fast charging?

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Can I do be sufficient with a level 2

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application?

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So that's where we can kind of coach them a little bit and,

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and understand, okay, what kind of vehicles are you buying?

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Where are you gonna park them?

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And then we coach them on, you know,

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recommendations on the best hardware for them.

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And are you seeing, you know, a particular type of vehicle

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has the most success when it to transition to electric?

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What in this sector?

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I dunno, maybe it's like light truck

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or, you know, light duty vehicles or heavy duty.

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Is there a specific sector like, oh,

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transition went really well here?

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Mm-Hmm. A little more difficult over here.

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Well, I started in electrification 17 years ago Oh, wow.

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Into fleets. And it looks, you're a vet and I'm still young.

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Yes. You're, Um, but I always look back

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and I think about, like back then it was a lot of startups

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and a lot of failures.

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There were early adopters and a lot of 'em got burned.

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A lot of them had a lot of government money

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that helped subsidize it,

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but then they didn't have the OEM support.

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And then I fast forward to where we are today

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and you've got automakers producing electric vehicles,

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and it's not just sedans, right.

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It used to just be, okay, you can get an electric car,

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but oh, a semi? Nope.

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Mm-Hmm. You know? Mm-Hmm. A medium heavy duty fleet. No.

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Now, you know, you are seeing all the brands come out

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with electric vehicles, right.

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Um, in all different vehicle classes.

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So, you know, we're still in our infancy as an industry

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as far as growing and electrification and with the OEMs,

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but I still see, um, the future as electric

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or a big part of that growing.

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And so speaking of the future, tell us what you would like

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to see or what you think we're going to see in a year,

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three years, five years.

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Like how do you kind of see this all rolling out?

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Yeah, I think, um, for the heavy duty space,

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you're gonna see more fleet depots Mm-Hmm.

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Um, where there's not only EV charging, but solar

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and energy storage, which Rexel Energy Solutions also

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provides hardware on solar and energy storage.

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So we're helping build out these depots, um,

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making them more efficient.

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So I think we're gonna see more

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public depot, but also private.

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You're seeing more companies coming in and investing

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and paying for that upfront infrastructure

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and then just charging utilization.

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So it's shifting the way fleets are actually probably going

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to be procuring and managing their "fuel"

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budget.

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Um, and just look at it a little differently.

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When you talk about, um, depots for heavy duty,

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are you starting to see, um, multiple companies

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that have a need for that instead of like, this company has

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that depot, their depot, and this company has their depot.

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Is there, are there shared depots?

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So it's not really public Mm-Hmm. But like shared depots.

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Yeah. I mean, I imagine that would

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be a little more efficient.

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Are you starting to see that where companies are open to

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that idea so they're sharing the cost and Exactly.

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You know, all that. Yeah. That's what a lot

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of these newer, um, companies are doing is they're building

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it and then the fleets will come and,

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and pay for utilization.

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Um, but just having it in the routes where they're going,

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you know, is gonna be important.

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Right. Um, so, um,

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we're recording here at AFLA,

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from San Antonio. Yeah. Live from AFLA.

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Um, what are you hoping to get out of the show this week?

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Yeah, so, you know, AFLA is a great organization.

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You've got fleets here,

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you've got fleet management companies here.

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And, you know, I love to see how much they're growing with

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offering and being willing

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to roll electric vehicles into their lease plans.

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They're throwing chargers in, they're integrating software

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with different partners like Geotab

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and others, um, so that everybody's kind of working together

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and solving for the fleet.

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So I'm really, um, it's funny

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because I actually haven't been to AFLA since 2016.

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Oh, wow. And I couldn't believe it.

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I logged in to renew my membership

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and I'm like, oh my gosh, it's been that long.

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So I'm excited to just, um, see how much it's grown

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as an organization and also just meet a lot

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of the players that are, you know, working

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with fleet management companies

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and then working with fleet management companies as well.

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And when it comes to electrification, what is one

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or two action items that you're hoping most people will take

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from the show and then implement in their fleets?

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Um, yeah, the, you know, I would love

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to be a great resource for them.

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Um, so not to be overwhelmed, when you come

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to these shows and you learn everything, it's great,

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but then you gotta actually go

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back and do something with it.

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So I'm encouraging the fleets that if you, if you want to,

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to create an electrification program, go just do it.

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Try, if you fail, it's okay. Right? Mm-Hmm mm-Hmm.

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There's so many people in the industry that have gone

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before that have done it, that can help you.

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Everyone is so supportive in this industry to, you know,

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pick up the phone and call fleet manager

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that's done it and give them advice.

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But, you know, I would just say, do something. Right. Right.

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If you don't take risks, you don't grow,

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you don't have reward.

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And the fleets that have taken risk

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and have done well are the ones out leading

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and showing that this can be done.

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A lot of cities,

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and I think even a couple of states, have they,

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I think they've walked some of them back,

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but, you know, initially set some targets about being all

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electric by, you know, 2030 or something like that.

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Mm-Hmm. When you think of a target like that, right?

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So let's say 2030, what do you think will be the,

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well, let me rephrase the question.

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What percentage of electric do you think

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that we will be as a society?

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And it could be maybe just fleet,

251
00:10:33.625 --> 00:10:35.405
but I think maybe as a society as well,

252
00:10:35.405 --> 00:10:36.805
because I know you drive, you drive electric,

253
00:10:36.845 --> 00:10:38.605
I drive electric, and I think, you know Mm-Hmm.

254
00:10:38.735 --> 00:10:40.325
Sales of electric vehicles are growing.

255
00:10:40.825 --> 00:10:42.725
So by 2030, what's your prediction?

256
00:10:42.725 --> 00:10:46.245
Will we be X percent electric society?

257
00:10:46.585 --> 00:10:49.725
And what do you think will have to happen in order

258
00:10:49.905 --> 00:10:51.605
to reach that percentage?

259
00:10:52.555 --> 00:10:54.085
Well, it depends on what part

260
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of the country we're talking about.

261
00:10:55.245 --> 00:10:56.805
That's true. Because Right, that's true.

262
00:10:56.805 --> 00:10:59.205
California obviously is being mandated. Yeah.

263
00:10:59.205 --> 00:11:02.045
Um, you know, you're seeing fleets saying, okay,

264
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we're gonna buy the vehicles,

265
00:11:03.285 --> 00:11:04.525
we're putting the infrastructure in, but then

266
00:11:04.765 --> 00:11:05.845
the utilities, right.

267
00:11:05.845 --> 00:11:08.125
Like we need the utilities to be regulated too. Yep.

268
00:11:08.345 --> 00:11:10.765
To actually create the power

269
00:11:10.765 --> 00:11:12.045
that they're gonna need to pull from.

270
00:11:12.505 --> 00:11:14.285
Um, I mean, I can't put a number on it.

271
00:11:14.445 --> 00:11:18.365
I know by 2030, 50% of the vehicles being manufactured

272
00:11:18.625 --> 00:11:20.365
by the automakers are going to be electric.

273
00:11:20.365 --> 00:11:23.405
Mm-Hmm. So that's a pretty big, huge number, right? Mm-Hmm.

274
00:11:23.665 --> 00:11:25.285
If you just, you know, close your eyes

275
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and think of a dealership, does that mean 50%

276
00:11:27.445 --> 00:11:30.565
of the parking lot's electric 50% is IC or diesel?

277
00:11:31.665 --> 00:11:33.885
You know, I think the number is slowing down.

278
00:11:34.045 --> 00:11:36.205
I still think we're in a growth industry.

279
00:11:36.645 --> 00:11:40.125
I think it's not gonna be as of a steep, you know,

280
00:11:40.185 --> 00:11:42.645
hockey stick is we are all, you know, excited

281
00:11:42.645 --> 00:11:44.605
and the moment momentum has been building up,

282
00:11:44.985 --> 00:11:46.085
but we're still in a growth

283
00:11:46.085 --> 00:11:49.005
because, um, once you get them behind the wheel

284
00:11:49.665 --> 00:11:52.045
and they learn that this is a technology that just happens

285
00:11:52.045 --> 00:11:53.045
to be a car? (Mm-Hmm.)

286
00:11:53.310 --> 00:11:55.165
And they can see how more efficient they are,

287
00:11:55.195 --> 00:11:58.125
they can see the, um, reduction in cost (Mm-Hmm.)

288
00:11:58.305 --> 00:12:00.125
Not having to bring that vehicle in to do

289
00:12:00.665 --> 00:12:02.525
oil changes...

290
00:12:02.525 --> 00:12:03.765
Right. I mean, think about it.

291
00:12:04.545 --> 00:12:07.565
And there's a lot of moving parts in an internal combustion

292
00:12:07.565 --> 00:12:08.685
or a diesel vehicle.

293
00:12:08.695 --> 00:12:12.485
Right, right. And electric will simplify that. (Mm-Hmm.)

294
00:12:12.605 --> 00:12:14.205
I mean, there's different cost as well,

295
00:12:14.345 --> 00:12:17.765
but overall the total cost of ownership is less

296
00:12:18.185 --> 00:12:19.365
for driving an EV.

297
00:12:20.265 --> 00:12:21.605
You know, I often, when

298
00:12:21.885 --> 00:12:24.405
whenever I hear people talk about resistance

299
00:12:24.425 --> 00:12:26.445
to switching over to electric vehicles,

300
00:12:26.545 --> 00:12:28.885
I often think about

301
00:12:29.305 --> 00:12:32.045
the famous Henry Ford quote about, well, if I gave people

302
00:12:32.045 --> 00:12:33.965
what they wanted, I would've given them a faster horse.

303
00:12:34.365 --> 00:12:37.485
Right. Right. Because kind of like you said, you know,

304
00:12:37.485 --> 00:12:39.685
people, once they drive an EV

305
00:12:40.235 --> 00:12:41.565
they kind of fall in love with it.

306
00:12:41.565 --> 00:12:44.165
Right? Yeah. Because they realize not only is it more

307
00:12:44.365 --> 00:12:45.845
efficient and total cost of ownership is

308
00:12:45.845 --> 00:12:47.005
lower, but it's fun.

309
00:12:47.275 --> 00:12:49.925
It's actually, it's pretty fun to drive an EV. Yeah.

310
00:12:50.225 --> 00:12:54.245
Um, so how are you seeing that play out in fleet? Right?

311
00:12:54.305 --> 00:12:56.845
Are you seeing some initial resistance from drivers

312
00:12:57.145 --> 00:12:59.205
or companies, but then like they try it

313
00:12:59.205 --> 00:13:00.325
and then they're all in

314
00:13:00.325 --> 00:13:01.845
because they realize how great it is?

315
00:13:02.715 --> 00:13:06.565
Yeah. I think, you know, you have the, the go-getters

316
00:13:06.565 --> 00:13:08.565
that like, you know, are begging to drive them.

317
00:13:08.565 --> 00:13:10.485
Mm-Hmm. And, you know, the ones that are just, you know,

318
00:13:10.705 --> 00:13:12.445
set in their ways and don't want anything to do with it.

319
00:13:12.505 --> 00:13:14.005
And I think as a fleet,

320
00:13:14.005 --> 00:13:15.325
and what I'm seeing is, you know,

321
00:13:15.325 --> 00:13:16.605
they're putting surveys out there

322
00:13:16.785 --> 00:13:19.605
and asking their drivers, who would want to drive an EV

323
00:13:19.825 --> 00:13:21.125
who doesn't want to, right?

324
00:13:21.125 --> 00:13:24.965
Mm-Hmm. And just trying to find those, um, I guess champions

325
00:13:25.265 --> 00:13:26.925
to, to lead the way.

326
00:13:27.465 --> 00:13:30.885
Um, at one point in my career was consulting

327
00:13:31.025 --> 00:13:33.245
and we were working in the refuse industry

328
00:13:33.865 --> 00:13:35.205
and they gamified it.

329
00:13:35.355 --> 00:13:38.405
They, oh, they, they had their drivers, you know, get

330
00:13:38.405 --> 00:13:40.525
behind their, uh, the electric refuse truck

331
00:13:40.945 --> 00:13:42.805
and then the, their non-electric

332
00:13:42.985 --> 00:13:44.485
and, you know, they would compare like,

333
00:13:44.485 --> 00:13:45.685
how many stops a day did they get in,

334
00:13:45.685 --> 00:13:46.925
da da, da, how efficient were they were.

335
00:13:46.925 --> 00:13:49.125
And they gamified it and it just made them

336
00:13:49.785 --> 00:13:51.925
all be excited and wanna drive it.

337
00:13:51.925 --> 00:13:54.685
Yeah. Very cool. So I think we need to see more of that.

338
00:13:54.715 --> 00:13:57.085
Yeah. And then people will change their perception.

339
00:13:57.485 --> 00:13:58.805
Interesting approach. Yeah. Making it more fun

340
00:13:59.065 --> 00:14:02.005
and not like a chore, but Mm-Hmm.

341
00:14:02.005 --> 00:14:04.205
You know, something that you can actually see a difference.

342
00:14:04.205 --> 00:14:05.285
Right. That's actually a really great

343
00:14:05.445 --> 00:14:06.445
Approach. It could be a little overwhelming.

344
00:14:06.445 --> 00:14:06.925
You get in,

345
00:14:06.925 --> 00:14:08.165
you're like, wait, where are the buttons?

346
00:14:08.655 --> 00:14:10.845
Right. You know, Everything's digital. Right.

347
00:14:10.865 --> 00:14:12.285
But then when you're, you know, driving

348
00:14:12.385 --> 00:14:13.765
and that lane assist keeps you

349
00:14:13.765 --> 00:14:14.885
in the lane, you're like, oh, wow.

350
00:14:14.885 --> 00:14:16.325
Mm-Hmm. It just helped me. Mm-Hmm.

351
00:14:16.665 --> 00:14:19.045
Or you're, you know, take a quick glance at your phone to,

352
00:14:19.045 --> 00:14:20.245
you know, when is the next turn?

353
00:14:20.305 --> 00:14:22.965
And then all of a sudden it, it, uh, you know,

354
00:14:23.255 --> 00:14:24.725
helps the beats, what do you call it?

355
00:14:24.725 --> 00:14:26.525
The, the stop it automatically stop your car

356
00:14:26.525 --> 00:14:28.725
and you, it saves you from getting into fender bender.

357
00:14:28.835 --> 00:14:30.125
Yeah. Um, alright.

358
00:14:30.145 --> 00:14:32.285
So quick, quick, uh, change of direction

359
00:14:32.285 --> 00:14:33.805
for our last question here today.

360
00:14:33.805 --> 00:14:36.205
Mm-Hmm. So we're in the technology business, right?

361
00:14:36.225 --> 00:14:38.565
So we're immersed with technology every day.

362
00:14:39.465 --> 00:14:41.445
How do you achieve balance in your life?

363
00:14:43.145 --> 00:14:45.765
Or, or is there balance, I should say, in my personal life?

364
00:14:45.915 --> 00:14:47.885
Yeah. Like, you know, do you, do you make it a point

365
00:14:47.885 --> 00:14:49.845
to take a break, you know, every day

366
00:14:50.145 --> 00:14:52.365
or, you know, at five o'clock you shut it off

367
00:14:52.505 --> 00:14:54.525
or, you know, you use a meditation app

368
00:14:54.585 --> 00:14:58.205
or kind of what, what do you do to, you know Yeah.

369
00:14:58.395 --> 00:15:00.285
Make sure you get some sense of balance in

370
00:15:00.285 --> 00:15:01.285
Your life. Yeah. So

371
00:15:01.285 --> 00:15:05.325
I, um, I'm very disciplined on my time management,

372
00:15:05.625 --> 00:15:09.405
so I, I wake up very early 4:00 AM Oh my gosh.

373
00:15:09.405 --> 00:15:11.045
You're one of those sometimes four 30. I know.

374
00:15:11.485 --> 00:15:13.045
I never used to be like that.

375
00:15:13.505 --> 00:15:15.565
And, and I just shifted honestly.

376
00:15:16.305 --> 00:15:18.845
Um, and to me, that's my quiet time.

377
00:15:18.905 --> 00:15:20.485
That's my thinking about the day.

378
00:15:20.545 --> 00:15:23.405
That's my, you know, laying out what I'm prepping

379
00:15:23.405 --> 00:15:24.525
for dinner later that night.

380
00:15:24.785 --> 00:15:28.205
Um, you know, I travel a lot, so a lot of it is planning

381
00:15:28.225 --> 00:15:30.965
and organizing whatever I can do now, so

382
00:15:30.965 --> 00:15:33.405
that it makes it easier on the family when I'm on the road.

383
00:15:33.785 --> 00:15:36.085
Um, and then just, you know, working from home,

384
00:15:36.195 --> 00:15:37.765
it's sometimes hard to turn it off.

385
00:15:37.945 --> 00:15:39.645
It is. Yes. You know, and you, you hear the,

386
00:15:39.745 --> 00:15:41.325
the ping every now and you're like, oh,

387
00:15:41.325 --> 00:15:42.365
lemme run a over and check what that was.

388
00:15:42.365 --> 00:15:44.525
Right? Mm-Hmm mm-Hmm. But I think, um, you know,

389
00:15:44.525 --> 00:15:47.805
my company's very respectful of, and,

390
00:15:47.825 --> 00:15:49.925
and really supportive of employee's times as well.

391
00:15:50.065 --> 00:15:53.565
So, um, like I don't feel like I have to respond

392
00:15:53.565 --> 00:15:54.685
to an email at nine o'clock.

393
00:15:54.685 --> 00:15:57.685
Right, right. But sometimes you, if I,

394
00:15:57.745 --> 00:15:59.285
my kids are in bed, then I'm like, okay, sure.

395
00:15:59.285 --> 00:16:01.325
I'll just check it and if not, I, I don't. Right.

396
00:16:01.325 --> 00:16:03.485
But, um, you know, I'm very much about family

397
00:16:03.985 --> 00:16:08.085
and, um, doing things as a family, do a lot of sports events

398
00:16:08.225 --> 00:16:09.925
and school events and so forth.

399
00:16:10.065 --> 00:16:11.685
So it's just having good time

400
00:16:11.685 --> 00:16:13.125
management and planning my day. Well,

401
00:16:13.265 --> 00:16:14.265
That's great. Do you use

402
00:16:14.265 --> 00:16:16.165
any particular tools for time management,

403
00:16:16.165 --> 00:16:17.685
or are you analog and use a notebook?

404
00:16:18.985 --> 00:16:20.005
No, I am a list.

405
00:16:20.205 --> 00:16:22.205
I, I have a sharpie and a white piece of paper

406
00:16:22.305 --> 00:16:24.725
and I put my list down what I need to get done that day.

407
00:16:24.725 --> 00:16:26.685
Nice. And I just cross it off. I love it.

408
00:16:26.715 --> 00:16:28.885
I've been like that since college and it really helped me.

409
00:16:28.915 --> 00:16:30.925
Well, you know, there's something very satisfying about

410
00:16:30.925 --> 00:16:34.125
physically crossing off something of a list. Right. So,

411
00:16:34.245 --> 00:16:36.325
I mean, sometimes I'll even, like, when am I gonna shower?

412
00:16:36.435 --> 00:16:39.005
When am I gonna, you know, I hate to admit it.

413
00:16:39.005 --> 00:16:40.885
I have to put that in the schedule too. Yeah. Yeah.

414
00:16:40.905 --> 00:16:43.405
It just, it is what it is. But um, yeah.

415
00:16:43.795 --> 00:16:45.405
Well, this has been a lovely conversation.

416
00:16:45.405 --> 00:16:47.525
Thank you so much, Amy. Have a great show.

417
00:16:47.695 --> 00:16:48.885
Thank you. Thanks

418
00:16:48.885 --> 00:16:50.285
for listening to The Mile Marker podcast.

419
00:16:50.745 --> 00:16:53.005
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420
00:16:53.135 --> 00:16:54.685
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421
00:16:54.945 --> 00:16:57.485
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422
00:16:57.485 --> 00:16:59.565
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423
00:17:00.105 --> 00:17:02.485
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424
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425
00:17:04.685 --> 00:17:07.605
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