That’s a wrap, but the conversation is just getting started for finished vehicle logistics

Doing it the way we always did is no longer an excuse for North America’s vehicle logistics industry, both in managing capacity shortages, as well as in meeting goals in sustainability and ramping up electrification. That was one clear message from Nissan North America’s JS Bolton, director of finished vehicle logistics and SCM systems, who highlighted how Nissan would be switching from contracting carriers by state and instead design the network around population clusters.

At government level, officials such as Toks Omishakin, secretary of transportation for the California State Transportation Agency, made it clear that governments would need to put money and infrastructure where their goals are, especially in increasing the potential of zero emission equipment and technology. Nissan North America’s senior director of supply chain, Steve Jernigan, and Glovis America’s senior national manager for sales, Charles Franklin, shared examples of how their companies were implementing electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks for logistics.

Electrification will bring new requirements and opportunities for vehicle logistics, too. Ron Stach (pictured), who is just starting as senior director of global service for Lucid Motors, and recently held senior roles at Vinfast, explained how vehicle processors and logistics providers would have new roles to play for EVs, for example in managing full visibility of state of charge across yards and ports, and in ensuring vehicles had enough charge to receive over-the-air updates ahead of customer delivery.