Automotive Fleet presents “Sound Off” to encourage and facilitate discussion of today’s fleet industry challenges through the exchange of diverse industry voices. This column offers a platform for fleet professionals to share their voices with peers and other industry professionals.

Here’s what’s been top of mind for fleet professionals lately:

Is the Push for EVs Forced?

Going clear back to the Whole Earth Catalog days of the late 60s/early 70s, I have been following the development of so-called alternative means of transportation. Moving forward to the post 9/11 years, we were early adopters and purchased a Nissan Leaf and a Toyota Prius V wagon in 2014. So, I speak as both a EV and a hybrid vehicle owner as well as a former long time heavy-duty trucking professional.

My wife, who was enthusiastic about the Leaf initially, soon soured on it due to its limited range (75-80 miles max in “good” SF Bay Area weather). The hybrid is still going strong and is now in our daughters hands, as a daily driver in 2022.

Our experience with an EV convinced both of us that it doesn’t matter which OEM it is, they will all lie to you about range to sell you an EV because the reality is weather dictates your range, particularly cold weather. Having moved to the Portland Oregon area, the first cold winter convinced my wife to go for a new Audi Q5 all-wheel-drive that would actually stay on the road and she no longer suffers from range anxiety.

No fleet should be purchasing EVs right now until we get a new crop of elected representatives who will forget Wokeness and instead actually build new infrastructure (mini nuclear power stations in each county) to supply much-needed power, first for residential / commercial use, then for EVs. Look (soon, very soon) for a massive EV Sales Bust to occur! After government agencies and a small (5-10%) of the population buy their EVs, GM and other OEMs will realize “Ooops!” The rest of the population cannot buy expensive new EVs because they can’t afford them! Time to pressure Congress for another immense $$$ industry bail out! All while tens of thousands of new super expensive EVs sit on dealer lots. Thanks, “woke politically correct extremist” politicians. Oh, and don’t forget, they also want to now ban you from having a gas stove and range in your kitchen. They know what’s good for you.

Author Wished to be Anonymous

Bad for the Environment

In response to the guest blog entitled “Is the Push to EVs Forced?”, I say yes. EVs are being forced in true liberal fashion before a progressive step-by-step plan to improve the infrastructure to support all the EVs they want everyone to have. From cradle to grave EVs are worse for the environment and in 8 or so years the batteries will have to be replaced, not able to recycle, that will cost about $10,000. Hydrogen fuel cells seem a more viable solution at way less the cost.

Author Wished to be Anonymous

More Hands-On Management to Make Smart Decisions

Check out the great post from Mike Antich from Automotive Fleet magazine entitled “Fleet Costs are at Record Levels but the Full Impact has Yet to be Felt.” In this post, he provides his views of the current state of the fleet industry.

Fleet costs are consistently increasing; however, fleet budgets are not being aligned. So as a fleet manager, the expectation to drive down fleet costs and generate an overall savings has become significantly tougher.

Using software like Fleet IT helps you identify where you can focus your efforts and pinpoints what changes are working. However, now more than ever, fleet managers need to take a more hands-on role in working with managers and drivers to improve behavior whilst making smarter decisions.

Steve Bure, Managing Director, Fleet IT; Durban, South Africa

Steve Bure is co-founder of FleetIT and Trojan Corp. that helps fleets measure and increase fleet profitability using fleet data. – Editor

Always Insightful

I watched the State of the Fleet Industry entitled: “Fleet Costs are at Record Levels But the Full Impact has Yet to be Felt.” As always, insightful. Thank you for posting these videos.

Jim Kraffert, General Manager/Partner, ABG Fabrication, LLC; Naples, Fla

Awesome Info

There was awesome information presented in the State of the Fleet Industry video report entitled “Forecast for Commodity Prices and Lead Times to Increase in CY-2023.” Richland Hills, Texa

Jim Rigsby, President, Trinity Investments Ltd.; North Richland Hills, Texas