How well are your local auto dealers doing in helping sell EVs? Help find out!

[Lsquared]

If we want the EV revolution to reach the tipping point, we need the legacy auto makers to get involved. Many are now claiming they are entering the EV market. But how well are their local auto dealers doing at helping sell EVs? The Sierra Club wants to find out. They are running the "Rev Up Electric Vehicles 2.0" national survey to find out how well auto dealers are doing at trying to sell EVs. And you can help! You can volunteer to visit a local dealer, ask about their EVs, and report your findings on the "Rev Up Electric Vehicles 2.0" website.

This seems like a great idea for several reasons:

1) It will show local dealerships that there are local people interested in EVs.

2) If they aren't doing a great job, it will serve as feedback that they need to up their game. If they are doing well, they will get feedback to keep up the good work.

3) It will provide data to compare how dealers are doing in 2019 compared to the previous survey in 2016. This can be shared with the media, the public, auto dealers, auto industry executives, and others. This will help push the EV agenda forward.

I plan to sign up for it. It should be fun, and illuminating. I'll drive there in my Model 3.

Best,

Les

 

[Lsquared]

If we want the EV revolution to reach the tipping point, we need the legacy auto makers to get involved. Many are now claiming they are entering the EV market. But how well are their local auto dealers doing at helping sell EVs? The Sierra Club wants to find out. They are running the "Rev Up Electric Vehicles 2.0" national survey to find out how well auto dealers are doing at trying to sell EVs. And you can help! You can volunteer to visit a local dealer, ask about their EVs, and report your findings on the "Rev Up Electric Vehicles 2.0" website.

This seems like a great idea for several reasons:

1) It will show local dealerships that there are local people interested in EVs.

2) If they aren't doing a great job, it will serve as feedback that they need to up their game. If they are doing well, they will get feedback to keep up the good work.

3) It will provide data to compare how dealers are doing in 2019 compared to the previous survey in 2016. This can be shared with the media, the public, auto dealers, auto industry executives, and others. This will help push the EV agenda forward.

I plan to sign up for it. It should be fun, and illuminating. I'll drive there in my Model 3.

Best,

Les

I checked out a Chevy dealership (for the Bolt, they didn't have any), and a Nissan dealership (for the Leaf, which they had 2 used models of). I drove my Prius there, so as not to put them off. I reported on the results to Rev Up Electric Vehicles 2.0. I think that this is definitely useful in showing interest in EVs to local dealerships, and in providing information about how well local dealerships are doing in trying to sell EVs.

 

[Rockster]

Here in Texas, car dealers are the enemy. I wouldn’t do anything to help them survive the transition to electric.

 

[Lsquared]

Here in Texas, car dealers are the enemy. I wouldn’t do anything to help them survive the transition to electric.

Hi @Rockster, I agree about dealers being on the wrong side of Tesla, and what dealers have done in Texas is the worst case of that.

However, as Elon said several years ago:
"The big impact Tesla will have is the reach to which that we induce other car companies to accelerate their plans for electric vehicles."
So, we need as many other auto manufacturers producing and selling EVs as possible. And that is where the local dealerships come in. The problem is, many local dealerships are not doing much to sell EVs. So, compiling data on what is going on at local dealerships is what "Rev Up Electric Vehicles 2.0" is all about.

As the main page of their website says:

"Automakers and dealerships have been complaining for many years that no one wanted electric vehicles and that zero-emission standards should be relaxed.... We know the auto industry talks a big game when it comes to sustainability, but they fail to make much of an effort to sell EVs, and meanwhile, they are lobbying hard to weaken federal and state clean car standards. They need to do a better job to walk the walk and start doing right by consumers.... We’ll provide all of the tools, and your efforts will provide us with critical information that we’ll compile into a comprehensive report that will serve as an advocacy tool to put more pressure on automakers and dealers to do right by consumers."​

 

[Vernon Frank]

When was the last time auto makers and dealers "did right" by consumers?)
A quick observation: from a business standpoint, if a third to a half of your profits came from repairs and service, (typical new car dealership) would you promote trouble free, service free EVs? Where will the dealers make up the difference? good will? satisfaction that they are promoting a cleaner planet? I doubt if there is a possible set of circumstances that would allow a manufacturer to market their cars (EVs) through a traditional dealer network. Market trouble free cars directly? mmm maybe their existing franchise agreements would prevent that? Maybe set up "no frills Kiosk" dealerships? The only thing for sure is that there are a lot of high level auto execs starting to sweat.

 

[Lsquared]

When was the last time auto makers and dealers "did right" by consumers?)
A quick observation: from a business standpoint, if a third to a half of your profits came from repairs and service, (typical new car dealership) would you promote trouble free, service free EVs? Where will the dealers make up the difference? good will? satisfaction that they are promoting a cleaner planet? I doubt if there is a possible set of circumstances that would allow a manufacturer to market their cars (EVs) through a traditional dealer network. Market trouble free cars directly? mmm maybe their existing franchise agreements would prevent that? Maybe set up "no frills Kiosk" dealerships? The only thing for sure is that there are a lot of high level auto execs starting to sweat.

@Vernon Frank, you have a really interesting argument. So, based on that, you're predicting that "the Tesla Effect" may include direct sales as a model for other auto manufacturers to adopt. If so, as you suggest, and we've seen happen with Tesla, the dealers won't give up without a very big fight.

 

[Vernon Frank]

I'm saying that I don't see enough profit for car dealers to survive without the service/warranty/repairs portion of their business. What options do they have? a change in business model perhaps? Or are dealers even needed? Tesla seems to think not, and so far it seems to be working out fine.
It's not just the dealers who will not give up without a very big fight, its also "down stream" industries, not just the oil companies, but the drillers, refiners, truckers, even the corner gas station. They all have a very big stake in a change over to EVs. Next 5 years or so are going to be very interesting.

 

[Lsquared]

@Vernon Frank, Agreed.