Efficiency and sustainability are tightly correlated when it comes to fleet management. EPA’s SmartWay Program, ‘smart cities’ and other public-private partnerships have put fleet managers in a key position as potential early adopters for new transportation technologies. Leading companies have made considerable investments aiming for lower operating costs. But when it’s all about the bottom line, how can fleet managers of private companies and public agencies work with vehicle manufacturers and service providers to avoid the pitfalls associated with early adoption? Uncertain infrastructure and maintenance issues are potential liabilities, and decision makers must take into account routes, use type, telematics, and remarketing when choosing the best technology. How far will manufacturers go to entice fleet managers -- will current incentives make EVs and other alternative fuel vehicles a viable option? What emerging technologies will enable fleets to surmount these obstacles?

09:00am:    Networking Breakfast

09:30am:    Panel Discussion Begins

1. Incentives & Requirements for Adoption

• Overview of the different types of incentives (DOE, EPA, DOT) What are the current governmental incentives available? What are the keys to securing grant funding?
• Which manufacturers and service providers are working with fleet managers to address their needs?
• How can early adopters contend with the fact that innovation tends to outpace regulation/incentives? Will the incentives shift towards requirements and mandates?

2. Operations / Maintenance / Management

• What is the effect of green fleets on operating costs?
• What are the costs associated with EV fleets and other alternative fuel vehicle adoption? To what degree must infrastructure or facilities be modified to support them?
• What are some of the benefits of operating connected fleets?
• Conversion is expensive: is it ever financially and environmentally advantageous to convert internal combustion engine vehicles to alternate fuel vehicles versus buying new? What’s the current state of EV aftermarket conversion service providers?

3. Moving Forward: Incorporating EV’s into Fleets

• What businesses have the potential to integrate EV‘s into their fleets? What types of fleets are best suited to electrification (sales, service, delivery, transportation)? What strategies exist to optimize vehicle efficiency/ROI?
• Does EV telematics software pose different or additional security issues than those of ICE fleets?
• How can large corporations deal with range anxiety?
• What corporate strategy/policy changes must take place for EVs to be feasible?

11:00am:    Audience Q&A

11:30am:    Networking

12:00pm:    End of Meeting

Speakers:

Azure Dynamics, Chris Abarca, Director of Sales, West

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Jim Larson, Senior Program Manager Fleet Engineering

Alameda County, Doug Bond, Transportation Services Manager

Yellow Cab Cooperative, Inc. , Jim Gillespie, Executive VP & General Manager

Moderator:

SF Environment, William (Bill) Zeller, Manager, Clean Vehicle Programs

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Location and Directions:

Garden Court Hotel @ 520 Cowper St. in Palo Alto, CA

Driving: From 101 (North or South): Exit University Avenue, go west. Make a left onto Cowper Street. Hotel is on the right-hand side on the first block.
From 280 (North or South): Exit Sand Hill Road, head east. Turn right onto Arboretum Road. Make a left onto Palm, which turns into University Avenue. Turn right onto Cowper Street. Hotel is on the right side on the first block.

Public Transit:Take Caltrain to the Palo Alto stop. Upon leaving the train station follow University Avenue 0.4 miles (6 blocks) to Cowper St. and turn right. The Garden Court is half of a block down on the right hand side.

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