This conversation features Manpreet Rana, VP of Fleet Care and Logistics at Element Fleet Management, discussing how technology—especially AI, data intelligence, and electrification—is reshaping fleet operations.

Manpreet argues that most leaders ask the wrong question about AI. Instead of asking how AI reduces cost, they should ask how AI redesigns the operating model. As he states, “AI changes that… present a recommendation with confidence and evidence that fundamentally changes how work gets done.”

He emphasizes that fleets have historically collected large amounts of data but often confuse data with intelligence. Fleet managers don’t need more dashboards—they need actionable insights. The “control tower” model centralizes visibility across vehicles, drivers, maintenance, charging, and operations, enabling faster, smarter decisions.

On electrification, the executive warns that the biggest mistake is treating EV adoption as a vehicle strategy rather than an operational one. As he notes, “A vehicle can be purchased in a day. Building the ecosystem… takes much longer.” Manpreet stresses that charging must be treated as a business capability, not a construction project. Looking toward 2027, Rana predicts convergence of vehicles, energy, technology, and operations into unified mobility ecosystems.