The short-term future of any innovation depends on the pioneer marketers who promote it. Later, consumers may pick up on the idea themselves, although negative feedback may put them off. Hence the role of car dealers in the electric vehicle revolution is critical. We found a post by Fast Vehicle in this regard concerning. We post a summary of their article here in the public interest.
Car Dealers “Putting In As Little Effort as Possible”
That sounded weird to us at first; although reporter Jeremy Dalton is convinced it’s true. He quotes a Sierra Club survey that found “More than 1 in 5 Ford and Chevy dealers had failed to charge an EV so it could be taken for a test drive.
“Only around half salespeople explained how to fuel a vehicle, and only a third discussed tax credits available to buyers.” Moreover stories abounded of lost keys, flat batteries, and cases of car dealers not even knowing driving range. Is this a case of techno phobic ignorance, or greed? David Greene, a prof at University of Tennessee says it’s tough trying to sell a product you don’t understand.
However, There Could Be a Underlying Reason for This
The professor of civil and environmental engineering thinks the deeper reason may be a business one. Some shoppers that were originally after gasoline cars convert across to electric cars if offered a test drive.
“EVs need less maintenance than conventional cars, which puts a dent in car dealers bottom lines,” says David Greene. “I got my [BMW] i3 in April of last year, so I have had it for a year and a half, let’s say. And I’m not due for my first maintenance until January.” Car makers also spend far more money advertising gasoline autos than electric ones.
Electric cars are currently “in a chasm” separating early adopters from the majority of consumers. Smart phones made it through, Segway personal transporters failed to cut it. Governments should do more to motivate products clearly healthier for their constituents.
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Preview Image: Detroit Auto
