Electric vehicle prices are down 18% so far this month compared to April 2023. With most automakers launching aggressive discounts, many EVs are on fire sale right now. Some are even being offered for five-figure discounts. After slashing prices throughout last year, Tesla’s best-selling Model 3 and Model Y are still dragging down overall EV prices. Seasonally adjusted prices are also down in all major market segments. Compact cars led the way (17.1%), followed by midsize (16%), pickups (15%), and SUVs (14%). Electric vehicles led the way, with many automakers offering double-digit percentage ..read more

No other company seems as determined to decarbonize its commercial delivery fleet as Amazon. The Seattle-based retail giant now operates a fleet of more than 13,500 Electric Delivery Vans (EDVs) across the U.S. and it has now established a robust charging network to ensure that the van delivering your precious Amazon Prime parcel doesn’t run out of juice on its way to your home. These vans are made by California EV upstart Rivian, which also makes the R1T electric truck and the R1S SUV. Rivian initially manufactured the EDVs exclusively for Amazon. It opened them for other businesses after en ..read more

Fleetio today announced it has won a 2024 Silver Stevie® Sales & Customer Service Award for Customer Service Department of the Year. A testament to its commitment to customer-centric service and product reliability, this marks the third consecutive year that Fleetio has earned a Stevie Award. The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world’s top honors for customer service, contact center, business development and sales professionals. The Stevie Awards organizes nine of the world’s leading business awards programs, also including the prestigious American Business Awards ..read more

Navigating to charging stations and finding exactly where the chargers are — like in a multilevel parking lot — can sometimes be more of an effort than it should be. Google says that in “the coming months,” it will start to show AI-powered summaries in Google Maps that describe a charger’s specific location based on millions of user reviews posted daily. Directions will get even more specific since reviews about EV chargers now prompt for additional details like what type of plug you used and how long you had to wait. The most ideal EV charging stops will soon be suggested based on your charg ..read more

By Fleet Management Weekly Staff April 17, 2024 Rarely has it proven easy or cheap to become more sustainable in the automotive world. Most companies spend more to lower their carbon footprint, leading to a tenuous balance between sustainability and profitability. In the truck fleet industry, however, an innovative approach using advanced AI finally ends the cost-to-cut-carbon dilemma by focusing on the driver. Since its founding in 2022, Silicon Valley-based Prophecta has been developing a new math algorithm that extends the value of telematics-based data used by truck fleets to reduce emiss ..read more

Fleet Manager Spotlight is a new Fleet Management Weekly bi-weekly series. Compiled by Marketing Consultant Tod Trousdell of RobertsTrousdell Communications, the series features insights from top fleet leaders on some of the industry’s most important topics. In this, our first installment, we talk with fleet manager Ted Chan of Schindler Elevator. 1) What do you see as the biggest challenges facing fleet in 2024? Great question, and up until recently I’d say supply chain, but it’s something that is changing constantly. Right now, I’d have to say sustainability and carbon reduction. They’re is ..read more

Join us for an engaging book club discussion hosted by WIFM on Wednesday, May 1st, 2024 at 2:00 PM CT as we delve into the book ‘Hidden Potential’ by Adam Grant. In this session we will spark lively conversation as we share ideas, insights, and experiences as we explore and reflect on our own potential. Register today and join us for an enriching discussion that will help unlock your hidden potential. Moderator:  Jen Pearson, HopDrive Registration: AFLA Members: $0 Non-members: $30 Register *This live session will be hosted in Zoom. If your company has restrictions again ..read more

The EV revolution is here, pressing fleet managers to electrify or risk lagging behind. Amidst the challenges, upfitting is crucial, shaping EV efficiency and safety. Ranger Design leads this charge with revolutionary solutions. “Ranger Design’s expertise revolutionizes EV upfitting, improving efficiency and safety,” says Nacim Mesbah, Director at Ranger Design. Their innovations include drill-free flooring, cutting installation time and risk. Lightweight aluminum components optimize payload, safety, and range. Plus, their tailored approach ensures fleet needs are met, enhancing productivity ..read more

Car prices, both new and used, are finally coming down as pandemic-related challenges are drifting further in our rearview mirrors. Unfortunately, customers aren’t able to enjoy that reduction in prices as much as they should, since insurance costs are getting quickly out of hand. New cars are the ones doing the most damage in terms of soaring insurance costs, which jumped 22% since this time last year. That’s the largest insurance cost increase since the 1970s. Insurance now represents more than a quarter of a new compact car’s total cost of ownership (which includes the cost of the car, fue ..read more

The U.S. government has reimbursed auto dealers for more than $580 million in advance point-of-sale consumer electric vehicle (EV) tax credit payments since Jan. 1, the Treasury said on Friday. Prior to 2024, U.S. auto buyers could only take advantage of the new EV credit of up to $7,500 or the $4,000 used EV credit when they filed tax returns the following year. Treasury said more than 85,000 of the time of sale tax reports were for new EVs, with over 90% of those including advance payments request for $7,500. More than 15,000 time of sale reports were for used EVs, with about 75% including ..read more