Element Pay Launches Cardless Fuel Payments for Fleets
Element Fleet Management's new digital system lets trucking fleets pay for fuel without physical cards, across more than 85,000 U.S. locations.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
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Element Fleet Management has launched Element Pay, a cardless digital fuel payment system for trucking fleets. The platform links fuel purchases directly to vehicles and supports more than 85,000 fueling locations across the United States.
Why it matters
Element says drivers sometimes choose pricier stations even when cheaper options are nearby, and physical fuel cards create administrative work when lost, damaged or when PINs are forgotten. The system is designed to address both issues by steering drivers toward lower-priced locations and removing the card itself.
Element Pay supports more than 85,000 fueling locations across the United States. Crown Capital reported 15% overall savings after adopting the platform, but the baseline used for that figure was not disclosed.
The players
Element Fleet Management
Element Fleet Management is a large North American fleet management company that provides vehicle leasing, maintenance and fuel management services to commercial fleets.
Crown Capital
Crown Capital is a fleet customer that reported 15% overall savings and $150,000 in identified potentially fraudulent fuel spending after adopting Element Pay.
The details
Element Pay links each fuel purchase to a specific vehicle and lets fleet managers set spending limits and monitor transactions in real time. Drivers initiate purchases through the Element Pay mobile app using direct pay or tap to pay, and the system uses vehicle verification to confirm a purchase meets fleet requirements; fleets do not need telematics to use it.
Timeline
November 2, 2026: Element Pay cardless fuel payment system announced.
Roadmap
Element Pay moves fleet fuel management away from the physical plastic fuel card that has long been standard for commercial trucking. The company says the platform could eventually extend to maintenance, tolls, violations and electric vehicle charging payments.
Fleet managers using physical fuel cards can evaluate whether a cardless app-based system would reduce lost-card and PIN administration. Drivers would begin purchases through the Element Pay mobile app rather than swiping a card at the pump.
The takeaway
Fleet fuel management is shifting from card-based authorization toward software that verifies the vehicle and the transaction itself. Fleet operators weighing the change should compare savings claims against their own baseline spending data.
Further reading
For broader context on how fleets are electrifying and changing how they pay for energy, see Electric Vehicles.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TheTrucker.
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