Shouldn't there be an EV only USED car dealership?

[ampitupco]

It seems to me there is space in the world for a car dealership that sells only (used) EVs. The number of used EVs available will soon skyrocket.

A proper EV dealer would have L2, QC, and could help educate the public about the benefits of EVs, and would be motivated to sell EVs. They could also install EVSEs for customers and provide whatever other services EV owners need.

If I knew anything about car dealerships, I'd give it a shot.

I shudder to think of all the used LEAFs on ICE dealer lots sitting at 100% charge for weeks or months while waiting to be bought.

 

[nosuchthing]

It's an idea whose time will come.

 

[pkulak]

It's the same reason Apple had to open their own stores and Tesla will never sell a car at a dealership. When your product is totally different, you can't have people from the old guard trying to sell it.

 

[SteveInSeattle]

I suspect that most used Leafs will be at Nissan dealers -- but you raise a very good point... sitting unsold on a used car lot will be problematic.

 

[SteveInSeattle]

There are 444 used Leafs on Autotrader. At least 4 out of 5 are listed by Nissan dealers.

 

[cwerdna]

It seems to me there is space in the world for a car dealership that sells only (used) EVs. The number of used EVs available will soon skyrocket.

A proper EV dealer would have L2, QC, and could help educate the public about the benefits of EVs, and would be motivated to sell EVs. They could also install EVSEs for customers and provide whatever other services EV owners need.

If I knew anything about car dealerships, I'd give it a shot.

I shudder to think of all the used LEAFs on ICE dealer lots sitting at 100% charge for weeks or months while waiting to be bought.

Agree on most of your points.

Unfortunately, I doubt a dealer would have sufficient sales volume and be able to make a sufficient profit in order to stay in business. Take a look at some of these new car volumes:
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2014/01/usa-vehicle-sales-rankings-by-model-december-2013-year-end.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://insideevs.com/monthly-plug-in-sales-scorecard/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.hybridcars.com/december-2013-dashboard/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - look at the plug-in take rate. For 2013 it was only 0.62% in the US. And, for that year, there were 15.5 million new auto sales in the US but only 96K were plug-ins and only ~45K of those being pure BEVs.

And, this will be hurt by continued cheap leases, govt incentives on new EVs and incremental improvements in price and range of EVs vs. old degraded EVs.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I think a better business model - by far - would be leasing *used* EVs. Lots of people want one but can't afford a new EV, even a lease, and would be willing to lease a used one for several years, especially with an option to buy. As long as the prices were significantly below new lease prices, it would be a winner, IMO.

 

[donald]

You are deluded in thinking there is sufficient business to sustain such a proposition.

EV drivers tend to be a bit fanatical and think EVs are more than just mere cars. They are cars with limited range, thus limited appeal. You can argue all you like with that, and you may even have a point, but having a good argument has never been a reason for people to be motivated to do/not do something.

What percentage of cars sold are EVs? Now multiply that fraction by the number of cars a regular dealer sells. Then you have the number of cars an EV-only dealer will sell.

 

[apvbguy]

while the idea of an EV only used car dealer has some merit, at this point and time it isn't an economically viable idea for many reasons.
some of which are the fact that the EV market is still a tiny niche in the market, there aren't all that many used EVs available for sale and in the case of the LEAF the cars do not hold any value.

 

[donald]

I suppose we could put that into context and point out that Tesla dealers are EV only, and one brand at that.

Perhaps that points to the fact that it would not be a 'dealership' in the way that you might be imagining it to be.

There are some internet offerings springing up. In UK, you could try; http://eco-cars.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (no connection with vendor!).

 

[apvbguy]

I suppose we could put that into context and point out that Tesla dealers are EV only, and one brand at that.

FWIW: new Tesla cars are sold directly by the manufacturer to the end user, there are no dealerships or other type of middleman

 

[donald]

Well, yeah, OK, you have a 'front end' shop, but like I say it is a 'dealership' of the like we'd not associate with that term.

You gotta go somewhere for your car, it is not a 'virtual entity' (yet!).

 

[EVDRIVER]

You are deluded in thinking there is sufficient business to sustain such a proposition.

EV drivers tend to be a bit fanatical and think EVs are more than just mere cars.

The model is not practical now based on numbers but you are incorrect about the statement above, the demographics have changed significantly and early adopters were flushed out a long time ago and many LEAF drivers are almost clueless about their new car and not fanatics at all. This changed some time ago, I think you are speaking for your circles and not the real world. That is like saying the majority of LEAF drivers have been to this forum which is not true either.

 

[donald]

OK, I generalise too much perhaps, as my comment was not aimed at 'all' EV drivers, but the fact remains that EVs cannot be described as 'popular' whereas many EV proponents appear to be little able to imagine that anyone else might not see EVs as an obvious choice.

We have had diesel cars here in Europe for decades now. I still remember when it was viewed with considerable suspicion as a suitable fuel for a car. A diesel car was as exotic then as EVs are now. Yet, now that we see something approaching 50/50 split, still no 'dealership' would stock 'petrol' or 'diesel' cars only, so the view that there should be one selling EVs only is a little premature.

 

[apvbguy]

Well, yeah, OK, you have a 'front end' shop, but like I say it is a 'dealership' of the like we'd not associate with that term.

You gotta go somewhere for your car, it is not a 'virtual entity' (yet!).

actually 7/8 of the process of buying a Tesla is done via the Tesla website and your theories about diesel powered cars are suspect as well. I've owned diesels since the 1980s, some of the earliest cars were diesel and electrically propelled.

 

[TonyWilliams]

We are very close to this being a small, but viable business, in the key epicenter EV markets. In the USA, that's San Diego, Los Angeles / Orange County, San Francisco Bay, Portland and Seattle.

As lease returns come in and get wholesaled, the market is definitely there.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

It seems to me there is space in the world for a car dealership that sells only (used) EVs. The number of used EVs available will soon skyrocket.

A proper EV dealer would have L2, QC, and could help educate the public about the benefits of EVs, and would be motivated to sell EVs. They could also install EVSEs for customers and provide whatever other services EV owners need.

If I knew anything about car dealerships, I'd give it a shot.

I shudder to think of all the used LEAFs on ICE dealer lots sitting at 100% charge for weeks or months while waiting to be bought.

already do have one... a few of them as a matter of fact. Their primary business was selling NEVs but they also have used ones.

Got my ZENN here

http://www.mcelectricvehicles.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[LeftieBiker]

You are deluded in thinking there is sufficient business to sustain such a proposition.

EV drivers tend to be a bit fanatical and think EVs are more than just mere cars. They are cars with limited range, thus limited appeal. You can argue all you like with that, and you may even have a point, but having a good argument has never been a reason for people to be motivated to do/not do something.

What percentage of cars sold are EVs? Now multiply that fraction by the number of cars a regular dealer sells. Then you have the number of cars an EV-only dealer will sell.

You do know what a "niche market" is, right...? There is no need at all for widespread popularity, as we were discussing *one dealer* in used vehicles.

 

[QueenBee]

Not really sure why this is even being debated. Did anyone google this? There have bee EV "dealerships" around well before the LEAF hit the market. An example of a local one is: http://www.mcelectricvehicles.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I'm sure there are others that have LEAfs.

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
I lived in the Puget Sound area between 97 and 04 then late 2009 to mid-2011 and even I wasn't aware of them. Seems like they sell mostly NEVs, conversions, and a crap EV (Wheego Whip). I noticed some Miles trucks. Too bad they went bankrupt (http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/15/miles-ev-files-for-bankruptcy-alongside-codas-troubles/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false.

Somehow I doubt that dealer is raking in the bucks...

But then again, I didn't really keep up w/EVs until the Leaf tour in 2010. Prior to that, I had (and still have) my 06 Prius, obviously a non-plugin hybrid. But, in my 1st stint in WA, I had V6 ICEVs, including a 287 hp 350Z...