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Electric Vehicles Are the U.S. Auto Industry’s Future—If Dealers Can Figure Out How to Sell Them
The Wall Street Journal ^ | March 7, 2021 | Nora Naughton |

Posted on 03/07/2021 8:08:35 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

Car dealer Brad Sowers is spending money to prepare for the coming wave of new electric models from General Motors Co. He is installing charging stations, upgrading service bays and retraining staff at his St. Louis-area dealership to handle the technology-packed vehicles.

But when he considers how many plug-in Chevy Bolts he sold last year—nine, out of the nearly 4,000 Chevrolets sold at his Missouri dealerships—it gives him pause.

“The consumer in the middle of America just isn’t there yet,” when it comes to switching to electric vehicles, he said, citing the long distances many of his customers drive daily and a lack of charging infrastructure outside major cities.

As auto executives and investors buzz about the coming age of the electric car, many dealers say they are struggling to square that enthusiasm with the reality today on new-car sales lots, where last year battery-powered vehicles made up fewer than 2% of U.S. auto sales.

Most consumers who come to showrooms aren’t shopping for electric cars, and with gasoline prices relatively low, even hybrid models can be a tough sell, dealers and industry analysts say.

Auto makers are moving aggressively to expand their electric-vehicle offerings with dozens of new models set to arrive in coming years. Some like GM are setting firm targets for when they plan to phase out gas-powered cars entirely.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: autonomousvehicles; chatforum; elonmusk; ev; fakenews; fastcharging; fossilfuelforever; tesla; v8powerbaby
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To: TexasGator

Do you even know how to have an argument? You flat out call me a liar about something I’ve seen.

When was your last visit?


421 posted on 03/09/2021 9:40:58 AM PST by cyclotic (Live your life in such a way that they hate you as much as they hated Rush Limbaugh)
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To: TexasGator
Duh, most parking spots are empty. They are at work!

Must be Florida then. Those pictures aren't from a lockdown state.

422 posted on 03/09/2021 9:43:48 AM PST by EVO X
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To: cyclotic

“When was your last visit?”

Two years ago. We spent the day with a realtor.

We live about 60 miles from there.


423 posted on 03/09/2021 9:53:30 AM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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To: JMS

That’s the point...they don’t want you to drive long distances because we Neanderthals are killing the planet!/s

They can take my gas-powered vehicle from me when they can peel my cold dead hands from the steering wheel.


424 posted on 03/09/2021 10:00:58 AM PST by USAF1985 (An armed population is a polite population...)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Why do you push this leftist propaganda?


425 posted on 03/09/2021 10:10:11 AM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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To: TexasGator

So you saw the gas powered golf carts then.

They sure made a lot of noise for electrics, at least the few dozen I saw.

So is that place as much of a scam as it looked?

My mom lives in a smaller place a few miles away that actually seemed like a decent place to live without all the fakeness.


426 posted on 03/09/2021 10:23:38 AM PST by cyclotic (Live your life in such a way that they hate you as much as they hated Rush Limbaugh)
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To: TexasGator

I’ve personally witnessed children 3 and 4 years old unloading barges in China. Have you?


427 posted on 03/09/2021 10:31:31 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (The Weak Never Started, The Cowards fail along the way, Only the Strong Survive)
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To: Elsie
There must be some type of corollary that states:
The Junk expands to fill the available space.
My intentions are, "I'm gonna fix that some day."

My wife has been after me for years to stop bringing in junk (or good stuff that turns into junk). Now that we're seniors we're getting rid of stuff. Recently last year got rid of a car engine from my garage, a car frame from the yard, a half-body of a car, and a bunch of scrap metal. Sold off a 1970 car rusting away but running. I have a 1968 car body in the garage that I'm chopping up. Am looking at selling or discarding other vehicle parts including 4 doors, 2 hoods, 4 trunk lids, roll bars, suspension parts and axles, seats, multiple mag wheels, boxes of car components, and two extra engines.

Not only do I have cars that don't run, they are parted out and disassembled! At least your cars are in one piece. Yes, I was a car nut. I have to get rid of these, as my wife doesn't know the values. A carburetor pair is worth $2000, an oil pan about $800, camshaft about $200, etc., - special racing components. But in her eyes, it's all junk.

My intentions were always to build these cars some day. Sigh, haven't built one for almost 20 years (a 1966 sports car that still runs like new).

428 posted on 03/09/2021 11:03:20 AM PST by roadcat
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To: roadcat

My buddy (age 73) has a 55 Chevy he’s been “going to fix up” for the last 40 yrs.

I always tell him, better hurry up or we’ll be dead.

Six months ago he almost died of a major heart attack.

Now we’re wrenching on that 55.


429 posted on 03/09/2021 11:07:29 AM PST by nascarnation
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To: cyclotic

“So is that place as much of a scam as it looked?”

Houses are over priced but it is great for those that want that lifestyle.


430 posted on 03/09/2021 11:09:35 AM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

You evaded my question!


431 posted on 03/09/2021 11:10:27 AM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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To: MinorityRepublican
Tesla is pretty restrictive in who and how it allows “its” electric vehicles to be repaired. The auto makers are going to have to deal with 3rd party parts, independent mechanics and home DIY repairs, to say nothing of a bunch of Jiffy Lube's.

I expect to see the USA look more like Cuba in say 20 years where well loved classic gasoline powered automobiles are repaired and have their engines replaced with old tractor diesel engines that are then run on salvaged cooking oil.

432 posted on 03/09/2021 11:20:49 AM PST by Robert357
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To: nascarnation
My buddy (age 73) has a 55 Chevy he’s been “going to fix up” for the last 40 yrs.

Great that you guys are working on it! My 73-year-old neighbor has a 68 Camaro SS in his garage, I've been telling him for decades to get it running. Nope, not yet. I don't think he ever will, as he is getting weak in the legs and back.

I owned various Chevys as a teen and in my 20's. Sold my last one, a 57 Chevy coupe in 1973 to raise money to pay for dental work. Have regretted it ever since. Perfect original two-tone paint, chrome, with a 327 engine and dual quads, 4-spd Muncie trans, flipped rear axle and large balloon tires on chrome rims in back and hydraulic shocks to lift and lower the rear. Before that, had a 56 Chevy, a 63 Chevy, a 58 Chevy and other cool cars. My 56 Chevy I modified with a straight axle in front, 327 with multiple carbs, header pipes out the sides with glass-pipe mufflers, and raised rear, raced it at a local drag strip (now long gone).

433 posted on 03/09/2021 11:33:43 AM PST by roadcat
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
"small EMP blast"

Simulate an mini one out in the desert with a ZR-1, maybe a GLE Coupe, an Infiniti Q60, and a Tesla S Performance parked alongside. Oh wait we need a hybrid - LS 600h L (barf).

All heavily chipped vehicles.

Ok every car has an experienced pit crew with all new electronics and every other replacement part necessary in hand. Which one is back up and running first?

434 posted on 03/09/2021 11:51:02 AM PST by StAnDeliver (Eric Coomer of Dominion Voting Systems Is The Blue Dress)
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To: StAnDeliver

“Ok every car has an experienced pit crew with all new electronics and every other replacement part necessary in hand. Which one is back up and running first?”

None! The pit crews would be wiped out by the radiation!


435 posted on 03/09/2021 12:10:50 PM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
"I’ve personally witnessed children 3 and 4 years old unloading barges in China. Have you?


436 posted on 03/09/2021 12:14:31 PM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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To: JMS

Exactly they are and always be a niche commuter vehicle.

Until you can go 300 (minimal) miles on a charge and recharge fully in 5-10 minutes EV’s are a non starter.

Commuter vehicle, or status symbol for upper class.

When you can afford 1 vehicle it has to fit all your needs not just your daily commuting needs... for most of America they can’t fill those needs


437 posted on 03/09/2021 12:16:45 PM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: HamiltonJay

“Until you can go 300 (minimal) miles on a charge and recharge fully in 5-10 minutes EV’s are a non starter.”

Tesla is advertising 520 mile range. More than adequate for most.

The average is less than 50 miles a day which means you only charge at night while sleeping.

A company in CA has an exchange station that Uber drivers are using. Presently 10 minutes for an exchange. Their goal is five minutes.


438 posted on 03/09/2021 12:30:50 PM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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To: HamiltonJay

“When you can afford 1 vehicle it has to fit all your needs not just your daily commuting needs... for most of America they can’t fill those needs”

Please tell me. What one vehicle fills the needs of all people?


439 posted on 03/09/2021 12:33:28 PM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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To: HamiltonJay

“When you can afford 1 vehicle it has to fit all your needs not just your daily commuting needs..”

The average in the US is 1.88 vehicles per household. About 10% have no vehicles which means that the average family has two vehicles.


440 posted on 03/09/2021 12:38:41 PM PST by TexasGator (Z1z)
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