Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

CAR 2026: What Really Moves Vehicle Value Now — And What Doesn’t

A panel at the 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing will examine how resale value is created across the vehicle lifecycle and which traditional remarketing practices still deliver ROI.

Chris Brown
Chris BrownAssociate Publisher
Read Chris's Posts
March 11, 2026
Graphic promoting a CAR 2026 conference session showing four speaker headshots above the title “What Really Moves Vehicle Value Now — And What Doesn’t” with automotive conference branding

A panel of remarketing and fleet experts will take the stage at CAR 2026 to challenge long-held assumptions about what actually drives vehicle resale value in today’s rapidly evolving market.

Credit: Automotve Fleet

3 min to read


For decades, fleet remarketing strategies have relied on familiar playbooks — standard reconditioning thresholds, traditional auction lanes, certification programs, and long-standing assumptions about what protects vehicle value.

But as remarketing channels, buyer behavior, and vehicle technologies evolve, not every legacy practice continues to deliver measurable returns.

Ad Loading...

That shifting landscape is the focus of “What Really Moves Value Now — And What No Longer Does,” a panel discussion scheduled for April 16 at the 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR). 

The session will explore how fleets can reassess long-standing remarketing assumptions and identify where value is actually created or lost across the vehicle lifecycle.

Examining the New Drivers of Resale Value

Moderated by Pierre Pons, founder of TPC Management, the panel will bring together experts across remarketing, logistics, and emerging vehicle marketplaces to examine how value outcomes are changing.

Panelists include Jimmy Douglas, founder and CEO of EV wholesale marketplace Plug; Lawrence Knapp, director of remarketing at Wheels; and Nathan Cummings, director of strategic alliances at Anew Solutions.

The discussion will explore which pre-sale actions — such as reconditioning, certification programs, and lane placement strategies — continue to generate measurable resale value, and which practices may have become outdated habits as the market evolves.

Ad Loading...

Panelists will also examine how speed-to-market, logistics coordination, and channel strategy increasingly influence remarketing outcomes as fleets look to minimize downtime between de-fleet decisions and vehicle sales.

Another key focus will be the growing complexity of EV remarketing, including how traditional value drivers interact with emerging considerations such as battery health, specialized resale channels, and the expected influx of off-lease electric vehicles entering the wholesale market.

Aligning Strategy Across the Vehicle Lifecycle

Beyond individual tactics, the session will address how integrated data and end-to-end remarketing services can help fleets accelerate decision-making and avoid value loss caused by delays in the vehicle lifecycle.

By examining both traditional remarketing assumptions and newer market dynamics, the panel aims to help fleet managers and remarketing professionals pressure-test their strategies in a changing resale environment.

About the Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR)

Founded in 1995, the Conference of Automotive Remarketing has long served as a gathering place for consignors, auctions, fleet managers, dealers, and service providers shaping the vehicle resale market.

Ad Loading...

Under the theme “Where smart fleet data meets higher vehicle value,” the 2026 conference will focus on recognizing the value of fleet-maintained vehicles and examining how data, transparency, and evolving remarketing channels are reshaping resale outcomes.

CAR 2026 will be held in partnership with the NAFA Fleet Management Association and will coincide with NAFA’s Institute & Expo (I&E). The conference begins with an awards ceremony and reception on April 15, followed by programming on April 16.

For more information and registration details, visit www.carconference.com.

More Remarketing

collage of conference speakers
Remarketingby Chris BrownApril 30, 2026

CAR 2026 Recap Part 2: Closing the Gap Between Data & Remarketing Value

The second half of CAR 2026 examined how fleets can translate lifecycle strategy, vehicle data, and market shifts into higher real-world results.

Read More →
Collage of CAR speakers
Remarketingby Chris BrownApril 27, 2026

CAR2026 in Two Words: Velocity, Value (Part 1)

The 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing convened with a mandate to involve a new constituency — fleet managers — and an updated mission to demonstrate unrealized value in de-fleeted vehicles.

Read More →
Johan Verbois, executive director of CARA, stands outdoors in a blue blazer with arms crossed, with blurred vehicles and greenery in the background.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseApril 27, 2026

CARA Appoints Johan Verbois as Executive Director

CARA recently opened up a part-time executive director position and appointed Johan Verbois for the role.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Fleet Remarketing Association temp logo
Remarketingby Chris BrownApril 20, 2026

Launch of Fleet Remarketing Association Signals New Era for Vehicle Lifecycle Value and Data Stewardship

The Association, dedicated to advancing the remarketing phase of the vehicle lifecycle, held its kick-off meeting on April 16 at the 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR) in Cleveland.

Read More →
Line comparisons of used vehicle inventory set in different colors.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseApril 20, 2026

March Used Vehicle Inventory Falls To Lowest Since 2019

Franchised and independent dealers had a total of 1.95 million used vehicles in stock in March, the lowest on record in the current data set.

Read More →
 A white Polestar 3 with all doors and trunk lid open while on display at an EV sales event.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseApril 7, 2026

Spring Bounce Pushes Q1 Used Vehicle Values Higher

Demand signals remain strong at auctions, with sales conversions, a clear sign of demand, reaching 68.2% in the most recent measure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic promoting CAR 2026 roundtables featuring headshots of five speakers and topics including Wall Street trends, fleet data, upfits, fair market value, and AI in remarketing.
Remarketingby Chris BrownMarch 31, 2026

CAR 2026: Get the Wall Street Update on the Key Players in Remarketing

From a Wall Street analyst's take on remarketing's key players to whether fleets need their own version of Carfax, CAR 2026's afternoon roundtables will answer key operational and industry questions.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for CAR 2026 panel on data-driven value in commercial vehicles, featuring five industry experts and session details for April 16 in Cleveland.
Remarketingby Chris BrownMarch 31, 2026

CAR 2026 Session to Uncover the Missing Data That's Costing Fleets at Disposal

Work trucks lose value at remarketing, not because they aren't worth more, but because the data to prove it rarely makes it to the auction.

Read More →
Blue bar graphs showing a rise in used vehicle categories across the board.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseMarch 6, 2026

Wholesale Used Vehicle Prices Up In February

Solid demand at Manheim auctions with higher sales conversion rates indicate an appetite from dealers to buy.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Image of rows of cars and a shopping cart.
Remarketingby Chris BrownMarch 1, 2026

How to Drive Better Returns on De-Fleeted Vehicles in 2026

Smart remarketing begins before vehicles enter the fleet, and is built on strong data and stronger FMC partnerships.

Read More →