Understanding the Misconceptions Surrounding Electric Vehicles
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The State of Electric Vehicle Knowledge
One might be astounded by the amount of misinformation and personal bias that influences the sale of electric vehicles (EVs) at dealerships. A survey by Electrek.com reveals that nearly 75% of drivers in the U.S. view electric cars as the future of transportation, with this figure rising to approximately 79% among current EV owners. Clean Technica reports that EV sales could see a significant surge, with an anticipated increase from 345,285 units in 2020 to 585,375 in 2021, and international sales potentially growing by 50% within a single year, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley.
Despite this optimistic outlook, a troubling study by the Sierra Club indicates that finding and test-driving an EV at a dealership remains a formidable challenge. Generally, the percentage of dealerships lacking EVs far exceeds those that offer them. A mere 9% of traditional dealerships across the U.S. provide an EV for potential buyers to test drive.
The Reality of EV Dealerships
This Sierra Club study focused on dealerships in states like California and New York that have adopted California's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. These dealerships are expected to be EV-friendly, featuring knowledgeable staff and EV models available for test drives. However, the results were disheartening.
Sierra Club volunteers contacted or visited 308 dealerships across ten ZEV states, and the findings were alarming. In over half of these instances, there were either no EVs present or they were hidden away from view. The information provided by sales staff was often misleading or incorrect.
Shocking Dealer Interactions
For instance, one dealership informed a volunteer that they had an EV but had lost the key and encouraged them to purchase an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle instead. In another instance, a customer was told that the dealership was not allowed to sell EVs and that the staff lacked adequate training to assist with EV inquiries. Other troubling reports included claims of exorbitant costs for installing EV charging stations and instances where customers were told that EVs were unavailable within a thousand-mile radius.
A female participant visiting a dealership in a ZEV state was outright told by the owner that they would never carry EVs unless mandated by the state. In a different case, when a participant inquired about tax incentives for EV purchases, they were informed that the sales staff had been instructed to refrain from discussing such topics as they were "not tax experts."
Despite these negative experiences, some dealerships were well-equipped with charged EVs and provided accurate information. This disparity highlights a significant breakdown in the sales process for EVs.
Addressing the Knowledge Gap
My research indicates that range anxiety, charging time, and price shock are major barriers to EV ownership. However, there appears to be a deeper issue at play. Clearly, there is a need for improved education and information dissemination not just for consumers, but also for dealership owners and their sales teams.
As the industry seeks to combat the widespread misinformation about electric vehicles—much of which originates from dealerships—this should be a primary focus at every level of the industry.
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