FMMC Latin America addresses safety, sustainability, TCO

By AJ Irving, October 2024

Fleet Mobility Today

Vehicle fleet managers in Latin America must focus on increasing safety and cutting CO2 emissions as well as reducing total cost of ownership (TCO), according to the fleet and mobility managers club (FMMC) of Fleet Mobility Today.

Besides driver training, one of the best ways to increase fleet safety is to acquire cars which have achieved excellent crash test results from Latin NCAP, the Latin America and the Caribbean's regional car safety assessment program.?

"Latin NCAP needs to test more models though and re-tests are needed after vehicle updates are done," FMMC members said during the latest Latin America meeting. Fleet managers also need to know where their cars are coming from as this makes a difference in safety features and overall ratings. (e.g. Are vehicles in Colombia coming from Brazil or Mexico?)?

If an accident does occur, remember that finding a replacement vehicle as quick as possible is crucial and this includes timely parts replacement.??

Another factor influencing vehicle selection today is sustainability. Besides finding the best way to calculate emissions, acquiring detailed information on the environmental impacts of EV battery production and disposal can be challenging. Remember that we must do thorough research to find the most sustainable solution.? ?

Last but not least, FMMC members said that accurately determining TCO on EVs can be a bit challenging at times. Fleet operators must know how to calculate residual value, the cost of battery replacement, and other factors.?

These were just a few of the topics discussed during the last FMMC meeting which occured in mid-October. Our next meeting will be on November 12 when fleet experts from North America will be discussing the topic of electric vehicles.? ?

FMMC is a selected group of professionals from eight countries throughout the Americas which meet several times a year to discuss challenges, solutions, and overall strategies amongst each other. Contact Daniel Bland if you are interested in joining our talks.