Car Dealers and Electric Vehicles

slate.com

12 points·rippercushions··4 comments

So there it was: Dealers stand between many electric cars and most American car buyers, but they aren’t just going to lay down and let some zero-emissions playthings roll them over. Some, I heard over and over, would rather not deal than deal with someone else’s dictates.

Never mind that the Environmental Protection Agency was preparing regulation such that two-thirds of all new cars sold by 2032 would be all-electric. Never mind that the Federal Trade Commission had singled out the industry for a crackdown. Dealers had stared down the government before and were making more money than ever. They took hostages—they did not become them. They would self-sabotage if they had to. A recent Sierra Club survey would find that two-thirds of car dealerships did not currently have an EV for sale; almost half of those dealers said they were refusing to offer them. They had 100 years of practice and accumulated power, all leading to this moment. Dealers have the best diesel-powered federal advocacy in the country—and Republican foot soldiers hard at work to ensure that the future will not come.

And this is how the dealer model will crumble, and the consumer will end up FAR better off on the other side. Thanks Tesla!

In my experience, Telsa is far worse when it comes to doing the things dealers do.

Tesla just doesn't have great service. Ask any long time tesla owner, and you'll find a pattern. It's sort of: love the car, loathe the company.

Honestly, imagine the streamlined experience you would get going to a traditional car dealer and paying sticker price for both the car, and service. (too bad some don't buy into evs)

I get far better service from Tesla than I got from Honda, Toyota, or VW.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com