US dealerships ill-prepared for EVs: Ipsos survey

The electric vehicle sales process in the US is littered with inconsistencies, a survey reveals.

The inaugural Ipsos RDA Electric Vehicle (EV) Sales Experience and Best Practice Study examines the sales process across automotive brands offering battery electric vehicles.

Mystery shoppers visited 141 dealerships in the top selling all-electric vehicle markets in the US to assess their preparedness.

They generally found dealership staff unprepared, that practices were inconsistent, the EV inventory was limited and that information was lacking.

The survey was marked on a scorecard of up to 50 sales process attributes.

“Many OEMs have already introduced electric vehicles to their product line-ups and there will be many more in the coming years,” Ipsos RDA senior vice-president Mike VanNieuwkuyk says.

Study results can assist OEMs and dealerships in establishing an informative and supportive sales process focused on EV ownership’s unique elements, he says.

While Tesla sales staff exude a passion for EVs and are equipped with the information needed to help consumers make informed decisions, this is not the case for traditional brand dealers who sell EVs alongside other vehicles, Ipsos RDA says.

“The EV sales process, in many instances, has not been differentiated from the traditional and, in effect, is passive. The availability of inventory, as well as critical EV ownership information in-store (from the sales staff or marketing materials) and online, is concerning and leaves shoppers with unanswered questions.

“Furthermore, the sales process experience at traditional brand dealerships is largely inconsistent. Consumers shopping for a specific EV model may have distinctly different experiences from one dealership to another in the same brand family — one well informed, educational and supportive, the other completely lacking.”

This tends to result in dealers moving consumers toward other non-EV models they are more comfortable selling, Ipsos RDA says.

Some dealers felt the consumer must compromise on their EV shopping expectations, many pressed to accept what is available — including hybrids or even gas-engine alternatives.

“Attempting to switch a shopper away from their EV interest is not only damaging the likelihood of a potential sale, but it can damage the trust a consumer has with the dealership,” VanNieuwkuyk says.

EVs were infrequently seen in the showroom, while marketing material often wasn’t displayed or made available and many dealerships didn’t have designated EV sales people. Most of the time the consumer had to request an EV test drive.

Some of the results are similar to what Californian EVangelist Chelsea Sexton has learned, including in New Zealand during frequent visits.

A “lack of interest” was apparent among some dealers with an attitude change necessary, she says in an EVtalk August story.

Sexton notes that while many New Zealand used car dealers have EV specialists or are adding them, there were differing degrees of acceptance and willingness.
She expects it’s a similar story in Australia, but at that stage hadn’t been invited to tour there.