The Used Car Market Will Crash Soon—This Is Why
It’s quite likely that we’re currently experiencing the used vehicle market’s weirdest time ever. Carvana, CarMax, Vroom, Shift, and maybe a hundred dozen other companies are striving to commoditize used inventories and move shopping online.
Meanwhile, new car production is down, dealer inventories of all sorts are negligible, and demand has been goosed by COVID stimulus payouts that make tidy down payments. High-mileage husks have moved from the remainder bins of the buy-here/pay-here margins over to the front lines of fancy factory-backed dealerships. Will the madness ever end?
A new report from the KPMG consulting firm strives to put the current insanity in context and predict how it will end. Or if it will end. One way or another, what the “new normal” may be. None of this was expected. “Just as the chip shortage began to take hold, automotive demand took off,” the report explains.
Read the article at MSN.
Looking Forward: Vehicle Availability in 2022
Looking forward to vehicle availability in 2022: this industry expert expects an easing in the production of Class 1 vehicles.
ADAS Can Support Drivers and Keep Them Safer
With ADAS features drivers have the opportunity to improve their entire situational awareness, thereby keeping themselves - and everyone around them - safer.
Charging Into 2022
EVs are very much on the minds of fleet managers everywhere. We note in this issue that NYC has ordered 184 Ford Mustang Mach-Es and Pittsburgh unveils a new charging depot. We also read today that Ford is doubling production of its F-150 Lightning and Chevy will launch the Silverado EV at CES tomorrow.
Clearly, transitioning to an EV fleet takes some careful planning. Contributing editor Ed Pierce interviewed a trio of top leaders at Element Fleet Management, ChargePoint, and WEX to discuss how their new collaboration will benefit fleets with this transition. It's an excellent read.
New Year, New Distractions writes Paul Atchley, PhD, eDriving’s Brain Science Advisor. What’s a fleet manager to do? Dr. Atchley has some ideas.
We wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2022!
Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief
Wrapping Up 2021 & Setting the Table for Next Year
ARI Marketing
It probably goes without saying, but this year has been a rollercoaster ride for many fleet operators. Fortunately, it’s just about time to close the book on 2021.
As we get ready to ring in 2022, there’s certainly reason for optimism – a fresh start, exciting new opportunities, etc. – and now’s the perfect time to wrap-up the last few items on this year’s to-do list and get a jump on next year’s strategic initiatives.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few key trends throughout each stage of the vehicle’s lifecycle that you need to consider as you close out the year and look to set your fleet up for success in 2022 and beyond.
