The first part of Del Grande’s training is focused on core shopper questions: What is the longevity of the battery? What range can I expect several years down the road? What are the details of the battery warranty, and does it apply to used vehicles?
“Buying an EV is different than buying a gas car,” Wilczynska said.
And while many U.S. dealerships may not be experiencing the EV demand that Del Grande sees in the heart of Silicon Valley, eventually many will. The goal for the dealership group is to stay ahead of rivals, which include both CarMax and Tesla, with its direct-to-consumer model for new and certified vehicles.
Laurie Johnson, Del Grande Dealer Group vice president of training, said that during coronavirus lockdowns in Northern California, Tesla was still growing its business by selling directly to customers, both new and certified.
“We understood that we need to know that market well,” Johnson said. “There are buyers in the Bay Area who are specifically looking for good-looking electric cars that are trendy, that are fun to drive and have the technology that they’re looking for.”
Buyers are also looking to avoid high gasoline prices, take advantage of EV tax incentives and gain access to commuter lanes for single drivers under a California program. That demand helps Del Grande meet its overall sales goals for new and used vehicles.
“There’s a certain amount of used cars we want to sell in a month, which is about 1,200,” Johnson said. “And we’re hitting those numbers because our team knows the products.”
The EV training at Del Grande, which also covers plug-in hybrid and standard hybrids, includes basics like the different levels of battery charging, explaining battery chemistry and how regenerative braking works, Wilczynska said.
“If you’re not selling a bunch of EVs, you might not know these topics,” Wilczynska said.
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