Attendees from each NAFA and the CAR conference can attend the opposite for a two-in-one experience.
Image: Automotive Fleet
The Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR) — co-located with the NAFA Institute & Expo in Cleveland on April 15–16, 2026 — has undergone a big repositioning in its mission.
While CAR has long served consignors, auctions, and remarketers, the 2026 program deliberately expands its reach to the fleet community: private and public fleet operators who care deeply about preserving vehicle value, reducing lifecycle cost, and improving the handoff between first and second owners.
“This shift aligns with what many fleet operators are already feeling: rising vehicle acquisition costs, limited OEM allocation on certain models and trims, volatility in EV residuals, and tougher internal expectations around total cost of ownership,” said Chris Brown, associate publisher of Automotive Fleet and CAR chair.
“Extracting every ounce of auto value directly affects a fleet’s bottom line. CAR 2026 now meets fleets where these pressures converge — at remarketing.”
A Recent Set of Awards
The agenda kicks off with the Awards Gala Reception on Wednesday, April 15, from 6 pm to eight pm.
The reception includes an awards ceremony: Two long-standing honors return in 2026 — Consignor of the Yr and Remarketer of the Yr.
A brand new award category, Value Champion of the Yr, recognizes the supplier ecosystem that materially enhances vehicle value at resale across technology, transportation, and upfitting solutions.
A Program Built Around Fleet Value
The conference itself takes place on Thursday, April 16. Session highlights include:
- Retaining Value Through Remarketing
- Recent industry statistics on business-to-business and retail-to-business used-vehicle flow
- Strategies for upfitting, prolonged warranty models, and EV battery value
- Auction prep, “downfitting,” transportation, and reconditioning best practices
- Fleet Remarketing Industry Council workshops and roundtables
Attendees will even gain insights from S&P Global’s latest quarterly fleet-specific remarketing data.
Call for Speakers Open
The CAR team is now looking for subject-matter experts to talk at CAR 2026. In case your work helps preserve value, reduce lifecycle cost, enhance safety, or streamline vehicle transitions, contact Chris Brown at [email protected] along with your topic, experience, and session idea.
“We’re reaching out to the fleet community to get entangled,” Brown said. “Do you might have a real-world case study on improving resale outcomes? Are you a subject-matter expert in EV battery health, safety, telematics, transportation, or upfitting? Let’s talk.”
The agenda for CAR 2026 is meant to supply a transparent view of which fleet technologies, safety tools, or upfit investments deliver ongoing value. Attendees will gain strategies to cut back remarketing friction, delays, and costs, in addition to ways to judge latest remarketing pathways alongside traditional ones.
Join us in Cleveland to assist form the following chapter of fleet remarketing. Register now!
This Article First Appeared At www.automotive-fleet.com
