10:10 am, June 8, 2021
Andrew Shipp Autos has become the first dealer to adopt the new RAC Electric Vehicle Warranty for all of its used electric car sales.
The dealer, based in Cowfold, Sussex, has decided to shift focus to electric vehicles, and said he sees offering a dedicated warranty as a great reassurance to customers.
Owner Andrew Shipp said: ‘We keep around 30 cars in stock at any one time. At the moment, probably a quarter of them are EVs and we are aiming to increase that proportion quickly.
‘The market is obviously moving in this direction and we want to be at the forefront of that change.’
For many of Shipp’s customers, this will be the first time they have bought and electric car and often they don’t know anyone else who already owns one, he said.
‘It is a leap of faith for them,’ said Shipp. ‘They may not know anyone who runs an EV and they are spending a lot of money on a technology that, although widely proven, is new to them and is very different from a traditional petrol or diesel vehicle in a number of ways.
‘That’s why we have decided to adopt the RAC Electric Vehicle Warranty for these cars.
‘The presence of the RAC name brings a strong confidence factor for these buyers plus the fact that this is a dedicated, specially-designed EV warranty brings an extra layer of comfort.’
The RAC Electric Vehicle Warranty covers all of the key components in the EV drivetrain and charge system, with the exception of the batteries. For this reason, Shipp usually sells vehicles with a balance of the manufacturer’s long term battery warranty and the addition of the RAC warranty.
The RAC EV warranty was introduced in late 2020 and can be applied to any used EV or hybrid of any kind up to a maximum of eight years old and with 80,000 miles on the clock at the time of purchase.
Kellie Grocott, RAC director of sales at Assurant, said: ‘There is massive public interest in these vehicles but used car customers tend to be quite conservative in their buying choices.
‘The EV warranty provides a really comprehensive level of cover and can give drivers moving away from petrol and diesel power more confidence to do so.
‘We believe that the warranty could play a key part in building consumer confidence in EVs and hybrids across the market in a general sense, as Andrew Shipp recognises, helping to foster their acceptance as an attractive choice in the used car sector.’
