Electrification accelerates in fleet orders as EVs and hybrids dominate in 2025's first half

Ford Pro's latest partnership with ServiceTitan introduces factory-installed modems in commercial vehicles, enabling real-time data access and operational efficiency for tradespeople and fleet operators across North America.Ford Pro, the commercial division of Ford Motor Company based in Dearborn, has recently kicked off a multi-year partnership with ServiceTitan, a software firm that specializes in solutions for tradespeople. The goal here? To improve fleet management for businesses that rely heavily on work vehicles. Essentially, this collaboration combines Ford Pro Data Services with ServiceTitan’s Fleet Pro Software through embedded modems installed in Ford’s commercial vehicles from the 2020 model year onwards. This means, customers across the U.S. and Canada can now tap into real-time vehicle data, get operational insights, and exercise more precise control—all from a single platform. The big plus? It eliminates the need to install any extra hardware, which cuts down vehicle downtime, shortens deployment times, and reduces costs. Mike Aragon, who’s president of integrated services at Ford, emphasized that this partnership isn’t just about building trucks and vans anymore. He believes it's about empowering tradespeople with modern, really user-friendly technology. The idea is to help them work more efficiently and support their growth. The combined solution brings some key features to the table—like seamless data flows because of factory-installed modems, remote vehicle locking and unlocking, proactive maintenance alerts from real-time diagnostic codes, and integration with ServiceTitan’s broader automation tools for scheduling, dispatch, and even marketing efforts. Honestly, the aim seems to be improving vehicle uptime, lowering overall fleet ownership costs, and streamlining operations for field service businesses. Vincent Payen, who’s senior vice president and general manager of pro products at ServiceTitan, pointed out that nearly half of ServiceTitan’s customers are already using Ford commercial vehicles. So, this collaboration makes a lot of sense—it's a strategic move for two industry leaders. By tapping into detailed vehicle data directly from Ford, ServiceTitan’s Fleet Pro isn’t just relying on traditional aftermarket telematics anymore. Instead, it’s offering more reliable, AI-powered insights that can really help contractors work smarter and boost their profits. The platform also supports automation features—like location-based marketing and last-minute job scheduling—making it a pretty powerful tool for fleet operators looking to maximize revenue and keep tight control over operations. Ford Pro’s efforts fit into a broader mission to support what’s called the Essential Economy—that’s the sector made up of tradespeople and small business owners who keep local economies ticking. They’ve partnered with groups like The Aspen Institute to examine productivity challenges, and they’re also hosting events like the upcoming Ford Pro Accelerate summit in Detroit. This gathering will bring together industry leaders to promote investment and innovation in this space. This new collaborative effort follows Ford Pro’s ongoing push to digitize fleet management. For example, Ford Pro launched a cloud-based Fleet Management Software suite that supports both Ford and non-Ford vehicles, offering subscription-based, real-time tracking of vehicle costs and maintenance. This makes life easier for small business owners trying to manage their fleets. Plus, Ford has teamed up with companies like Masternaut in Europe to provide integrated fleet management services utilizing Ford’s embedded connectivity—another piece of Ford’s global strategy to boost commercial fleet efficiency using telematics. ServiceTitan’s Fleet Pro itself is built specifically for the trades industry. It provides features like GPS tracking, telematics, geofencing, maintenance alerts, and automated timesheets. These capabilities help businesses cut unnecessary expenses, lower operational risks, and boost both fleet safety and performance. The integration of Ford’s embedded data with ServiceTitan’s platform creates a really robust environment—helping tradespeople access timely, accurate data to make smarter decisions. By investing in these connected technologies, fleet managers can monitor vehicle health proactively, optimize routes thanks to real-time location info, and improve fuel efficiency—all of which contribute to less downtime and lower costs. This trend of integration isn’t just happening here, either. Ford Pro, for instance, has expanded its connectivity with Fleetio, which now offers diagnostic alerts and fuel vendor notifications to support better maintenance and operational decisions. Finally, the Ford Pro and ServiceTitan alliance will be featured at ServiceTitan’s annual Pantheon conference in Anaheim, California. It’ll be a first look for attendees at this combined tech platform, underscoring both companies’ dedication to pushing forward fleet management solutions tailored specifically for tradespeople and commercial fleet operators. Source: Noah Wire Services

Southern Company and Ford Pro have completed a six-month project demonstrating efficient EV fleet charging, while Volkswagen and Audi accelerate North American manufacturing investments to mitigate tariff impacts and boost market share amidst a changing trade landscape.Southern Company and Ford Pro have wrapped up a six-month pilot project aimed at optimizing how fleets charge their electric vehicles (EVs). By blending Ford Pro’s cutting-edge software platform with real-time data pulled from vehicles and chargers, the program showed it’s possible to cut down on energy demand—without messing with the fleet’s ability to operate smoothly. According to what they found, managed charging schedules can really help boost energy efficiency. This offers some useful insights for fleet managers who are either planning or speeding up their switch to electric vehicles. Basically, this project is a good example of how the commercial aftermarket is evolving—trying to balance sustainability goals while still meeting the strict demands of fleet operations, which, you know, can be quite rigorous. At the same time, the larger automotive aftermarket scene is going through some significant shifts, especially as tariffs become more of a concern. Volkswagen, for example, has reported that tariffs in the U.S.—which are currently at 27.5%—have hit their bottom line pretty hard. CEO Oliver Blume shared that the company’s paid several billion euros extra this year because of these tariffs, with brands like Porsche and Audi feeling the pinch the most. The lack of local U.S. manufacturing facilities in those brands has made things worse—they’ve absorbed most of the burden. This tariff burden has led to earnings pressures, with Audi taking a €600 million hit in the first half of 2025 alone and Porsche losing about €300 million during the spring months. It’s kind of a tricky situation, because Volkswagen is now weighing whether to make more investments in the U.S., including expanding manufacturing facilities—something that might get a boost with upcoming tax incentives being discussed by the government. Volkswagen’s broader plan for the U.S. aims to counteract declining sales in China and Europe. They’re aiming for some pretty bold growth targets—trying to bump their U.S. market share from around 4% up to 10% by 2030. Part of that strategy involves investing heavily, like their €4.8 billion battery plant in Ontario, Canada, which is meant to supply EVs for North America. But of course, there’s some uncertainty because tariffs could be extended to add taxes on imports from Mexico, Canada, and Europe. That could make supply chain planning quite complicated. Still, Volkswagen expects its profit margins to stay stable this year. They’re also getting ready to roll out new EV models, including an electric version of the Scout pickup truck—an important move into the U.S. market’s popular SUV and electric segments. Audi, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, is also working to deal with tariff-related issues by expanding its production facilities in North America. They’re expected to decide on exactly where to build these plants sometime this year. The idea is that increasing local manufacturing will help soften the blow from tariffs, especially since they’re supported by incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act. This move is also in line with broader market trends, where demand is shifting toward electric and SUV models—so Audi’s strategy is really trying to adapt to those changing preferences. All these tariff pressures and strategic shifts highlight a pretty complex environment for automakers and parts suppliers alike. Companies are juggling evolving trade policies, the need for investment, and the push toward electrification—all at once. The Southern Company and Ford Pro pilot adds to this narrative by demonstrating how tech can improve fleet efficiency operationally, while Volkswagen and Audi’s moves reflect the geopolitical, economic, and market forces reshaping how vehicles are made and sold in North America. It’s definitely a busy space these days, and it’ll be interesting to see how everything unfolds. Honestly, these developments—both technical and strategic—are pretty fascinating, don’t you think? Source: Noah Wire Services

MAN Truck & Bus has reached a major milestone with its battery-electric fleet covering over five million kilometres across Europe, driving forward sustainable freight solutions amid rising demand and infrastructure development.MAN Truck & Bus has announced a pretty big milestone for its electric truck fleet, which has now traveled over five million kilometres in logistics operations all across Europe since the start of 2025. The fleet, consisting of roughly 200 battery-electric trucks, is being used actively by major logistics players like DB Schenker, Dachser, Duvenbeck, and Dräxlmaier. These eTrucks are powered solely by renewable energy, which, honestly, makes them quite impressive—they show that such vehicles can work reliably in different sectors, including automotive, timber, and food logistics. On average, these electric trucks consume about 90 kWh per 100 km, and they’ve managed to cut CO₂ emissions by roughly 3,600 tonnes compared to diesel trucks that burn about 27 litres per 100 km. If each truck hits its expected lifetime mileage of about 1.2 million km, the total emissions reduced could actually surpass 172,000 tonnes—which is roughly the annual CO₂ output of a German city with around 32,000 inhabitants. Friedrich Baumann, who’s a member of MAN Truck & Bus’s executive board responsible for sales and customer solutions, emphasized how versatile these eTrucks are and how they’re helping push sustainable freight transportation forward across Europe. Production of MAN’s electric models—the eTGX and eTGS—started at the Munich plant in June 2025. These trucks are designed for medium- and long-haul jobs, as well as for construction and municipal services. The production line is flexible, capable of making up to 100 diesel or electric vehicles a day. Demand for electric trucks remains surprisingly strong—shortly after they launched, nearly 800 orders were placed, and the sales jumped by 238% year-on-year during the first half of 2025. MAN’s goal is to surpass 1,000 electric truck orders by the end of this year, which is quite ambitious. The adoption of MAN’s electric trucks isn’t limited to just Germany—it's spreading across Western, Central, and Northern Europe. For example, in Germany, the Behrens Group uses eTGX trucks that are partially powered by solar energy generated right on site—a pretty clear sign of how logistics companies are increasingly integrating renewable energy sources into their operations. In France, Jacky Perrenot has ordered over 100 units, a testament to growing demand. Meanwhile, companies in the Netherlands like Cornelissen, van Doorn, and Koopman deploy these eTrucks for regional and urban deliveries. Poland’s Danone is also using them to reduce supply chain emissions, and Portuguese freight forwarder TJA has incorporated eTrucks into their national logistics network. Further north, firms like Nor Tekstil in Norway, Royal Unibrew in Denmark, and an Austrian municipal group covering 12 cities and towns are all adopting these vehicles too. The Austrian contract even includes up to 45 eTrucks dedicated to municipal services—pretty interesting, right? MAN’s electric trucks can go up to about 800 km per day on a charge, with fast-charging technology supporting up to 750 kW. The batteries are specifically tailored to meet the demands of commercial vehicles, which is pretty handy. Initial pre-series production started in 2024, with around 200 eTrucks delivered to select customers to test and refine these vehicles—setting the stage for larger deployments in 2025. Adding another layer to this effort, MAN has teamed up with German energy giant E.ON to develop a nationwide charging network tailored for heavy-duty electric trucks. The plan? Support Europe’s goal to cut heavy vehicle emissions by as much as 90% by 2040. By the end of 2025, they expect to have over 80 charging sites, with a target of reaching 170 in the longer run. These sites will feature multiple 400 kW fast chargers, enabling trucks to top up enough range for around 300 km in just about 45 minutes—addressing concerns many have about charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles, I think. While MAN is definitely leading the charge in increasing electric truck production and validating their use in real-world logistics, the rest of the industry is also making significant commitments. Daimler Truck, for example, aims to have 50% of its European sales as electric trucks by 2030—selling up to 30,000 EVs in the region within that decade. Their Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, which is scheduled to start production in late 2024, already has about 2,000 orders. That said, the electric commercial vehicle market isn’t without its hurdles—high manufacturing costs, supply chain issues, and the need to improve charging options are real challenges that still need tackling if this sector is to truly grow. All in all, MAN Truck & Bus’s progress really highlights how far the technology has come and how viable electric heavy-duty vehicles are for freight transport. Their ability to deploy eTrucks across a range of logistics environments, combined with developing infrastructure and increasing customer demand, represents a big step toward decarbonizing road freight in Europe. Seems like a promising sign for the future, don’t you think? Source: Noah Wire Services