The EV movement is here. Demand for electric vehicles is skyrocketing, and most major automakers are rapidly adding more eco-friendly EVs to their vehicle lineups. Many automakers have set goals to partially or even fully electrify their vehicle lineup within the next five to fifteen years. The electric vehicle trend isn’t going anywhere. So how can you prepare your dealership for EVs?
In 2010, only just under 1,200 electric vehicles were sold in the United States. In 2020, more than 231,000 electric vehicles were sold in the U.S. That is an astronomical increase, and it demonstrates just how popular EVs have become in the United States and around the world in the last decade alone.
EVs are only going to become more popular with each model year. This means that, if you want your dealership to stay afloat in the ever-changing auto industry, it is very important to make sure your dealership is ready to handle the exponentially increasing popularity of electric vehicles. Keep reading to learn five ways to prepare your dealership for the EV movement.
1. Educate Your Staff
If the team members at your dealership know little to nothing about electric vehicles, they are going to have a very difficult time trying to explain the advantages and the ins and outs of electric vehicles to customers who are interested in purchasing an EV.
It is very important that your staff is knowledgeable about electric vehicles and is able to answer any and all questions that potential customers might have about EVs. If you can pay for the team at your dealership to go through professional training on electric vehicles.
Otherwise, put together a presentation with up-to-date information about electric vehicles and their advantages so that the entire team at your dealership remains on the same page.
2. Market EVs with ICEs
An important marketing strategy is to market electric vehicles (EVs) right alongside vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines (ICEs). Marketing electric
vehicles separately from vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines create the illusion that electric vehicles are only targeted toward and well-suited for drivers that fit within a specific demographic—rather than for all drivers.
By contrast, marketing EVs with ICEs normalizes EVs and shows potential customers that both of these types of vehicles are targeted toward and are practical for any driver. It is a good idea to market comparable vehicle models together. For example, market a mid-size crossover EV alongside a mid-size crossover ICE.
This marketing strategy shows potential customers that there are all-electric versions of most if not all of the vehicle models that interest them and can encourage drivers to choose an EV over an ICE in many situations.
3. Allow Test Drives
Many drivers who are unfamiliar with electric vehicles worry that driving an electric vehicle will be more difficult or less satisfying than driving an ICE. You can put a stop to that misconception by allowing test drives of electric vehicles from your dealership lot.
Simply getting behind the wheel of an electric vehicle and seeing how it feels to drive for themselves helps many potential customers overcome their hesitations surrounding buying an EV.
4. Combat Common Misconceptions
There are many common misconceptions about electric vehicles. Combatting these misconceptions with more factual information can help customers overcome their hesitations surrounding buying an electric vehicle and actually pull the trigger on an EV purchase.
Some of the most common misconceptions drivers have about EVs is that they are slow, not powerful, more expensive than ICEs, and inconvenient because they have to be charged over time rather than just fueled immediately at a gas station. All of these misconceptions can easily be combated with facts—such as information about the many quick and easy charging solutions for EVs or information about how EVs can actually save drivers money over time despite their higher upfront prices.
It is important that the team members at your dealership are aware of the common misconceptions surrounding EVs and know how to steer drivers in the right direction away from these misconceptions.
5. Emphasize the Benefits of EVs
There are countless benefits of driving an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles emit little to no carbon, so they contribute to the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere much less than ICEs do—which means they are much better for the environment and can help combat global warming.
EVs also have health benefits, too. Driving a carbon-emitting ICE and breathing in the air pollution it creates can have adverse effects on your health and can lead to lung disease and cardiovascular disease as well as increase your risk of suffering from a heart attack.
Plus, driving an electric vehicle can save you a lot of money in the long run. Drivers in the United States spend an average of $3,000 per year on gasoline for their ICEs. Electric vehicles do not require fuel—they just need to be recharged—so driving an EV can save you thousands of dollars per year.
For more on how our suite of software can help you market your latest Electric vehicles, contact us.