The FutureTech Auto Blog

With significant regulatory and compliance changes on the horizon that, will require automotive OEMs to increase fuel economy, while ZEV credits and multipliers diminish, you would think that the OEMs would push the marketing hot button for their Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles (PHEV) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV).  However, studies conducted by Global Equities Research combined with data CompetiTrack and Motor Intelligence point to the lethargic marketing prowess of the OEMs with respect to PHEV and EV products. 

In my opinion, the motoring public largely does not understand the value along with the basic differences between hybrid, PHEV, extended range electric, battery electric, and fuel cell vehicles.  Therefore, since there is a tremendous void in educating the public (consumers that purchase cars) about these vehicle technologies, the public at-large will either ignore or dismiss the advantages and value advance technologies bring to the transportation experience. 

​To further add insult to injury, the Sierra Club recruited 174 volunteers to call or visit 308 car dealerships within the 10 ZEV states.  The volunteers reported that “many dealerships had few or no EVs in stock, hid them at the back of the lot, didn’t have trained salespeople, and sometimes couldn’t even provide test drives because they hadn’t bothered to charge the cars.”  It’s a given rule of thumb that the more informed a customer is about a product the more comfortable they become with it and the more likely they are to take a closer look at it when making a purchase.  The OEMs need to wake-up and smell the coffee….it’s time to accelerate the marketing of these vehicles.  And, please (OEMs) train your dealer sales staffs on the differences, similarities, pros, and cons of each vehicle technology available to consumers – so when a customer comes through the door they can count on a sales person being properly informed about the product(s) they are trying to sell.

Author Dr. Mark Quarto