Software Skills EV Shops Must Master by 2026
With 71% of fleets needing software fixes by 2035, shops must pivot from mechanical repairs to data access and battery triage to survive.
Priya Raman
12 min read2026
Priya Raman
12 min readZC Rubber's 2026 Shift: $8.4B Revenue Reality
ZC Rubber hit $8.4B revenue in 2026. I analyze if their Vietnam plant can offset rising raw material costs for Arisun and Westlake.
Priya Raman
14 min read
2026 Tire Innovators: Skip the Pilot Programs
The sector holds 329,527 jobs. Prove your tech works deployed, not in pilot mode, before the July 31 deadline.
Ray Donnelly
14 min read
Left Lane's 90-store leap: Why local brands stick
Left Lane Auto just hit 90 stores by keeping local names. I analyze why this 20-state strategy beats total rebranding for loyalty.
Priya Raman
16 min read
Yokohama Hill Climb: Why 2026 Matters
Yokohama uses the 2026 Pikes Peak race to validate sustainable materials, aiming for 28% usage in mass-market tires by testing thermal limits.
Dmitry Volkov
14 min read
Aftermarket Canada: 2026 new car sales drop 4.3%
With new vehicle sales dropping 4.3% in 2026, Canadian drivers are keeping old cars longer. Learn how to stock parts for this repair surge.
Ray Donnelly
14 min read
The 5.4% Aftermarket Forecast Reads as a Margin Warning to a Buyer
The 5.4% aftermarket forecast looks like a green light. With carbon black up 25% and 80+ price hikes, it's a margin warning — and a sourcing test.
Priya Raman
10 min readBFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A+: Reading the Fleet Spec Sheet
BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A+ delivers 25% longer wear and 10% better wet traction — a fleet buyer's read on when it's the right tire and when it isn't.
Ray Donnelly
10 min read
Mighty PREMA Canada Acquisition: A Build-vs-Buy Read
Mighty Distributing buys its way into Canada through PREMA, a tire-and-wheel-supply distributor. A parts-category strategist reads what the deal actually buys.
Priya Raman
9 min read
HPX 2026 Show: Why 2,000 Buyers Chose This Expo
Anna Petrova breaks down how 2,000 decisionmakers used HPX 2026 to secure OEM diagnostic gateways and address labor gaps.
Anna Petrova
15 min read
Tire Brands in 2026: Why the Aging-Fleet Tailwind Is a Sourcing Test
Tire brands in 2026: the 13-year aging fleet is real demand, but labor, tariffs, and fill rate — not market share — decide what to stock.
Priya Raman
10 min read
Aftermarket 2026: Why a 5.4% Tailwind Is a Sourcing Trap
The 2026 aftermarket grows 5.4% on a 13-year fleet, but a $60k tech vacancy, Hankook's $1.6B ramp, and 3% EV-ready techs make it a sourcing test.
Priya Raman
11 min read
Magique 2026 update kills tab shuffling for shops
AB Magique 2026.003 embeds NAPA ProLink, ending the tab shuffle. I analyze how this MDI architecture beats single-page cloud rivals for complex estimates.
Priya Raman
14 min read
AAPEX 2026 Strategy: Navigating 1,400 Categories
With only 3% of technicians EV-ready, AAPEX 2026 shifts focus to urgent workforce training and practical diagnostics for independent shops.
Priya Raman
12 min read