Fleet Readers Sound Off on Upfitting & EVs

Automotive Fleet views itself as a facilitator to provide different voices from the industry to discuss today’s challenges. This regular column is designed to provide a platform for fleet professionals to let their voices be heard to their peers and other industry professionals.

Here is what is top of mind for fleet professionals today.

The State of the Upfit Market for Commercial Fleets

Mike [Antich, AF editor], thanks, as always, for your clear and concise presentation of the current issues. As a manufacturer and supplier of aftermarket equipment, inconsistent chassis delivery and increased raw material costs are 2 of our biggest challenges. Finding the right balance between enough product for the upfitters when they need it, but not holding too much inventory in stock has definitely become a guessing game.

— Nancy Wunderlich, President - Co-owner Ergonomic Solutions, Mundelein, Illinois

We Need to Work Together

Excellent points were made in the State of the Fleet Industry video on the state of the upfit market! As an upfitter, we want your upfit done just as bad, if not worse, as you want it done. Together, we can overcome these obstacles and prevail, but we all need to work together.

— Jim Kraffert, General Manager/Partner ABG Fabrication, LLC, Naples, Florida

It's Never Been Harder

I read the article on “The State of the Upfit Market for Commercial Fleets” and want to thank you for explaining what is going on in the upfit world. As a large truck dealer that sells mostly upfitted vehicles, I feel you explained the current situation very well. It’s never been harder to give customer information on when we will get their truck and what it will cost. In my 40 years in the business, we have never seen anything like this. And the inflation on upfitted trucks is at an all-time high.

— Dan McDonough, Director of Operations Auto Park Fleet, Bristol, Indiana

It Really Makes You Think

I watched the State of the Fleet Industry video entitled “Impact of EV Production Mandates on Commodity Availability and Pricing.” It was a great discussion between Mike Butsch and Mike Antich.  It really makes you think about how supply and demand for EVs will ever be balanced with supply chain that goes into producing EV vehicles, if it even gets to that point! Something to definitely keep an eye on.

— Joe LaRosa. CPA, MBA Global Fleet Consultant, Glen Burnie, Maryland

Educate Drivers on EV Safety

The issue with EVs is a lot of fleet managers don’t know how this stuff works. My background of going to school and learning how to fix these vehicles has taught me how to tell my drivers how to drive these vehicles the right way. Additionally, I also have automotive scan tools dealer level ones that I pay for out of my pocket to fix and program issues in house.

I’ve had drivers who ran the EV dead, and it’s a pain to move them around and get the charging and rebooting the network on these types of cars. Not fun. Lots of time wasted. There are going to be more issues showing up as we keep going into the future because most vehicle fleet managers have never touched a wrench in their life.

Submitted via E-mail

Recharging Time Impediment

Car rental poses a particular issue for the use of EVs in that rental companies need to turn around an incoming unit very quickly. Charging a depleted EV doesn’t allow for that. And the needed infrastructure at the rental site is light years behind the retail market.

Author Wished to Remain Anonymous