As you know, at Plug’n
Drive we are big fans of electric cars because of their potential to reduce CO2
emissions while at the same time using surplus off-peak electricity that is made
locally, providing local economic benefits. And of course cleaner air benefits
all Canadians.
As a group that spends a
lot of time doing outreach and education, we know that drivers have some common concerns
about switching to EVs, such as the location (and number) of public charging
stations, the vehicle models available, the driving range and the price tag to name a few.. However, , the EVs on the market today can
meet the needs of many Canadian drivers
- Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) stats tell us
that most Canadians drive 50 kms or less a day; that’s well within the EV
range.
Its easy to be optimistic
about EV - battery life is steadily improving, the climate imperative is
increasing, charging station networks are expanding, a number of provinces
across the country have rebate programs in place and more and more models of
cars are coming online every year with lower price tags. Taking all these developments together, EV
success is no longer an “if” but a “when”.
What else can be done to
make it easier for drivers to choose an EV? One area of opportunity we see is
on the sales floors of car dealerships. There are some car dealerships in
various regions across the country that are doing a fantastic job at pairing
their customers with electric vehicles. This is true despite the fact that, at
present, the profit margins can be less on EVs – which means a salesperson
might make less money selling an EV over another model – and despite the fact
that it often takes more effort to sell an EV because it's different, is relatively
novel and needs more explanation than a more familiar car, and despite the
temptation to sell cars that generate more revenue on service than EVs which
are known for low maintenance costs.
What is the difference
between dealerships that are growing EV sales and those that are not? There is
some evidence that suggests an important factor is having knowledgeable sales
representative willing to go the extra mile to promote EVs as a viable option. There
are ever-more environmentally-conscientious customers who are hungry to make
choices with their dollars that lower their carbon footprint. And there are
even more still who are willing to lower their carbon footprint if it’s easy
and convenient and saves money. Dealerships that take steps to encourage the adoption
of EVs become partners with consumers to help solve one of Canada’s energy and
environmental issues.
Recognizing the potential
benefit of identifying and rewarding dealerships that have found ways to help
consumers to choose EVs, Plug’n Drive has partnered with the Canadian
Electricity Association to create the very first ever Canadian EV Dealership Awards.
We want to celebrate those top EV
dealers and encourage others to take a page out of their playbook.
The awards will be
launched at Electric Mobility Canada's EV2013VÉ conference in Ottawa, Gatineau on October 23rd
and the first awards will be presented at the EV2014VÉ conference.
For more details on how
this exciting contest is going to work, check out www.electricvehicleawards.ca.
Whether you are selling
EVs, driving an EV, participating in the industry, or simply observing,we look
forward to your participation in this initiative!
