Fleet's Dual Future: Electrification & AI Collide at ACT Expo 2026

LAS VEGAS, NV – January 13, 2026 – The future of commercial transportation is taking shape on two parallel, rapidly converging tracks: practical, large-scale electrification and the deep integration of digital intelligence. This dual evolution will take center stage at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in May, with the announcement that Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe and Mack Trucks President Stephen Roy will deliver keynote addresses. The selection of these two leaders—one representing a disruptive force in electric vehicles, the other an established titan of heavy-duty manufacturing—signals a pivotal moment for an industry grappling with rising costs, complex regulations, and a relentless pace of technological change.

Taking place May 4-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, ACT Expo 2026 will bring together fleet decision-makers to confront these challenges head-on. The presence of Scaringe and Roy underscores the expo's role as the primary forum where the hardware of hauling meets the software of modern logistics, providing a roadmap for fleets navigating the next decade.

From Disruptor to Mainstream: Rivian's Electrification at Scale

RJ Scaringe’s keynote on May 6 is set to provide a real-world look into the expanding role of electrification in commercial fleets. Once exclusively tied to a landmark 100,000-vehicle order from Amazon, Rivian has decisively moved into the broader market. The company now offers its Rivian Commercial Van (RCV) models—the RCV 500 and RCV 700—to fleets of all sizes, marking a significant shift from a niche partnership to a mainstream commercial supplier.

This strategy is already bearing fruit. In 2024, the Rivian van became the best-selling electric van in the United States, surpassing established competitors. The company has since launched pilot programs and secured orders with major enterprises like AT&T and meal-kit delivery service HelloFresh, which is integrating 70 RCVs into its fleet. These deployments provide Rivian with invaluable data on performance, reliability, and total cost of ownership (TCO) in demanding, high-utilization environments—insights Scaringe is expected to share.

“Fleet electrification is happening at scale, every day,” said RJ Scaringe in the official announcement. “I’m excited to share what we’re learning from real-world deployments and how thoughtful vehicle design, software, and data can help fleets lower costs, improve uptime, and operate more reliably in demanding environments.”

His address will likely detail how Rivian's integrated approach, combining purpose-built hardware with its FleetOS management software, offers a comprehensive solution for last-mile delivery. For fleet operators, this translates to tangible benefits: lower fuel and maintenance costs, improved driver safety through advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and a clear path toward meeting increasingly stringent emissions targets. Scaringe's appearance at ACT Expo solidifies Rivian's position not just as an EV manufacturer, but as a key technology partner for the future of logistics.

The Modern Truck: More Than Just Hardware

On May 5, Stephen Roy, who serves as both President of Mack Trucks and Chairman of Volvo Group North America, will present a complementary vision of the future—one defined by data and digital intelligence. His keynote will focus on how today's commercial vehicles are evolving into sophisticated, software-defined platforms, a transformation that is revolutionizing fleet operations long before full electrification becomes standard for all segments.

“Today’s trucks are defined by much more than hardware,” Roy stated. “Connected vehicles, software-defined platforms, and data-driven tools are revolutionizing the industry and helping fleets dramatically improve uptime, efficiency, and safety.”

This is not a distant future but a present reality for Mack and its parent, Volvo Group. With over 200,000 connected Mack trucks and more than one million for the Volvo Group globally, the company is leveraging a massive stream of real-time data. This connectivity powers services like Mack Connect and Volvo Connect, which enable over-the-air (OTA) software updates, remote diagnostics, and proactive maintenance alerts. Roy is expected to elaborate on how these tools directly impact a fleet's bottom line by minimizing unplanned downtime—one of the costliest pain points in the industry.

A key innovation is the use of artificial intelligence for adaptive maintenance. Instead of relying on static mileage-based service schedules, Mack's AI-powered systems analyze actual vehicle usage—including engine hours, idle time, and fuel consumption—to create dynamic maintenance plans. This ensures trucks are serviced precisely when needed, optimizing asset utilization and reducing operational costs. Roy's discussion will highlight how this digital intelligence is becoming a core driver of customer success, separate from but compatible with the industry's shift toward alternative powertrains.

ACT Expo: The Industry's Proving Ground for a Tech-Driven Future

For over 16 years, ACT Expo has cemented its reputation as the essential event for the commercial transportation ecosystem. Its explosive growth, with attendance soaring to over 12,000 in recent years, mirrors the industry's urgent need for clarity amid a tsunami of technological advancements. The expo has become the chosen venue for major industry reveals, from Volvo Autonomous Solutions unveiling its production-ready autonomous truck to Cummins debuting new battery platforms.

The 2026 program is poised to continue this tradition, offering fleets direct access to the vehicles, technologies, and strategies that will define their operations for years to come. The dual keynotes from Scaringe and Roy perfectly encapsulate the expo's core mission: to bridge the gap between innovation and practical application. While Scaringe will showcase the proven benefits and expanding scale of fleet electrification, Roy will detail how the digital transformation of existing and future diesel and alternative-fuel trucks is delivering immediate gains in efficiency and uptime.

Together, their presentations illustrate that the future is not a single path but a multi-faceted strategy. Fleets will need to master both the adoption of zero-emission vehicles where it makes sense and the optimization of their entire operation through connected, intelligent systems. At ACT Expo 2026, industry leaders will get a firsthand look at how these two powerful forces are converging to build a more sustainable, productive, and resilient commercial transportation network.