Fleet Forward: The Tour returns to Peachtree Corners, Ga., on March 30 with new speakers, new seminar topics, and a new slate of electric vehicles for fleet operators to drive and experience.

This year, the event will take place in the city hall of Peachtree Corners, dubbed “Silicon Orchard” as the United States’ first smart city environment powered by 5G and with autonomous vehicles operating on public streets.

For the educational program, the day kicks off with an address by Tim Echols, Georgia’s Public Service Commissioner, who oversees energy regulation.

Next, attendees will take in “Key Considerations for Your EV Charging Gameplan,” presented by Lisa Drake of Merchants Fleet.

After a networking break, Stephanie Valdez-Streaty, director of mobility research & development for Cox Automotive, will present “EV Batteries — Everything Fleets Need to Know.”

Following the final networking break will be “5 Keys to Building a Sustainable Fleet Program,” which will educate attendees on driver training, fleet metrics, sustainable leadership and change management, using and tracking fuel to support sustainability, and fleet acquisitions that consider strategic mobility concepts.

For members of NAFA, the Fleet Management Association, the seminar will count toward CAFM certification, though all will derive value from the content.  

For the final session, a working lunch, Scott Misico and Cheri Norry of Cobb County will share their years of real-world EV experience in “How Much Do Electric Vehicles Really Cost Fleets?”

“This is our second year of Tour stops, and March 30 marks our return to Atlanta and the tech-forward city of Peachtree Corners,” said Chris Brown, conference chair. “Though the program is all-new, fleet operators will be getting the same high-quality education to help them make the right decision on how to electrify, from vehicle choices to infrastructure, employee training, and more.”

Ride, Drive & Experience

Attendees will get to drive electric vehicles from Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan, and Polestar, as well as electric vans from Lightning eMotors, ZEVx, a purpose-built electric prisoner transport van used by Cobb County, and van shelving by Sortimo.

Mobileye will also conduct demonstrations of its AI-powered collision avoidance system.

In addition, attendees can ride in Peachtree Corner’s fleet of autonomous shuttles, which use T-Mobile’s cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology.

The day will conclude with a happy hour and tour of Peachtree Corner’s Curiosity Lab, which provides a real-world test environment for intelligent mobility and smart city technology.