The used car market rarely sits at the center of fleet strategy discussions. Residual values get considered, sure, but the broader role of second-hand vehicles in the mobility ecosystem is usually an afterthought. Episode 9 of the Fleet Europe Podcast 2026 series, titled Inside the Lobby: the used car market as the missing link, aims to change that.

Host Luberto van Buiten sits down with two industry voices — Rodrigo Ferreira da Silva and a guest identified only as Melchior — to examine a critical question that the briefing describes as central to the episode: why the used car market remains the missing link in current fleet and mobility frameworks.

The podcast, part of Fleet Europe’s ongoing Inside the Lobby series, typically digs into the policy and lobbying forces that shape the fleet industry. By turning the spotlight on the second-hand market, the show suggests that an entire segment of vehicle lifecycle management has been under-prioritized by OEMs, regulators, and fleet operators alike.

Who is involved

Luberto van Buiten is a familiar name to Fleet Europe readers. As host, he brings a deep background in fleet analysis and often presses guests on the real-world implications of regulations and market trends. Rodrigo Ferreira da Silva is a known consultant in the automotive and fleet sector, frequently speaking on sustainability and circular economy topics. The third participant, Melchior, appears on the episode as a co-discussant, though his full name and affiliation were not disclosed in the available briefing.

What the missing link means

While the source material does not specify the exact question or thesis the guests debated, the framing of the used car market as a missing link suggests several possible threads. In fleet operations, the management of vehicles after their first life — whether through remarketing, leasing, or direct sale — has a direct impact on total cost of ownership. But the episode likely asks whether the industry’s lobbying focus has skipped over that stage in favor of new-vehicle incentives, electrification mandates, or charging infrastructure.

If the used car market is the missing link, then the full chain of fleet sustainability is incomplete without it. A vehicle’s environmental impact does not end when it leaves the first lease. The second and third owners continue to emit CO2, consume parts, and eventually dispose of the car. Ignoring that second life means fleet managers and policymakers are only looking at half the picture.

Context: The Inside the Lobby series

The Inside the Lobby podcast series, produced by Fleet Europe, has built a reputation for diving into the behind-the-scenes forces that influence fleet and mobility regulation. Previous episodes have tackled topics such as the European CO2 fleet targets, corporate mobility budgets, and the lobbying efforts of leasing associations. By bringing in decision-makers, economists, and lobbyists, the series gives listeners a clearer view of why certain policies emerge and which interests win or lose.

Episode 9 continues that tradition by applying the lobbying lens to a market segment that rarely gets its own advocacy. The used car sector is fragmented — independent dealers, auction houses, online platforms, and OEM-backed programs all compete. Aligning their interests into a single lobbying voice is difficult. The podcast presumably explores whether that fragmentation is why regulators overlook the used car market when designing green mobility rules.

Why it matters now

The timing of the episode — placed in the 2026 season — aligns with several real-world pressures. By mid-decade, many European fleets are deep into electrification transitions. Battery-electric vehicles that entered service around 2022 are now hitting the used market in larger numbers. Their residual values, battery health transparency, and second-life uses are urgent questions for fleet operators. If the used car market is the missing link, these are exactly the problems that need solving.

At the same time, the European Commission’s ongoing revisions to CO2 standards and end-of-life vehicle regulations create a policy window for used-car considerations. The podcast’s Inside the Lobby framing suggests that the guests discussed whether industry lobbying has successfully — or unsuccessfully — pushed for used-car provisions in those rules.

A conversation worth hearing

Fleet Europe has not released a full transcript or show notes for Episode 9, so detailed conclusions from van Buiten, Ferreira da Silva, and Melchior remain unknown. But the headline alone signals that the podcast is asking an important strategic question. For fleet managers, leasing companies, and mobility policymakers, understanding why the used car market is treated as a missing link — and what to do about it — could reshape how they approach lifecycle planning and sustainability targets.

The episode is likely available now on Fleet Europe’s website and major podcast platforms. Listeners should expect a discussion that cuts through industry jargon and focuses on the structural gaps that keep the used car market from being taken seriously in boardrooms and Brussels alike.