• Car Dealer Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
No Result
View All Result

Answering the myths surrounding EVs is the biggest challenge for Vauxhall Ampera dealers

Leon Poultney by Leon Poultney
February 28, 2013
0
Home News

69382vauTHE biggest hurdle to overcome when selling the Vauxhall Ampera is not the £30,000 asking price but ‘the many myths that surround electric vehicles’.

Speaking exclusively to Car Dealer, coordinator for Opel brand communication in Europe, Christopher Rux, said: ‘Before customers even ask about price, they have a long list of questions about hybrid cars that need to be addressed.

‘Before we launched Ampera, we did lots of research on common myths and they range from “an electric vehicle will not work in the rain” to the misconception that charging an EV at home will use so much electricity, the wife can’t use her hair dryer. And that is before we even begin to talk about range anxiety and the worries that come with batteries.’

Eduction is a key strategy for Opel/Vauxhall and that learning begins at the dealership where salespeople are required to ‘go back to school”, as Rux puts it, in order to sell the car properly.

‘First of all it is essential we pitch this car at the right person. We don’t want the Ampera to be a third car, we want it to be used every day.

‘So we train dealers to ask questions about where they live, do they have a garage? Is there a charging point at work? Then we get out a map and point to all the charging stations on the routes the customer most regularly uses,’ says Rux.

‘If it all makes sense, that’s when we move away from just offering the Insignia or Astra, we get the calculator out and make it very clear just how much the customer could save over two or three years.

‘As soon as the customer sees the savings, the asking price doesn’t matter any more.’

Re-education doesn’t stop at the shop floor as Rux reveals that even mechanics must be correctly trained to handle the Ampera’s Lithium ion battery packs.

It’s a huge investment by Vauxhall and neither Rux or any other spokespeople available would come up with an exact monetary figure for all the additional training. Considering Vauxhall only sold 5,293 Amperas in Europe last year, that investment seems even more risky.

‘The investment is irrelevant,’ Dr Christian Kunstmann, senior manager for GME electrification, told us. ‘Mechanics, engineers and salespeople will need this training because we are entering a hybridised future. More and more cars will feature battery power and soon enough, electric vehicles will become a common sight at many garages.’

Despite the low uptake in sales, the Vauxhall Ampera boasts an impressive 21.2 per cent market share in Europe. ‘The jump to the Ampera is not as drastic as it is with all-electric cars’, adds Rux.

‘If we continue to educate customers about the ease of owning something like an Ampera, we will see the uptake continue. This is just the start of hybrid technology for Opel, there will be plenty more in the future.’

 

 

Previous Post

Volkswagen shows off new Golf GTI

Next Post

Fewer people to opt for ’13’ plate cars – but not because of superstition

Related Posts

Consumer savings on new cars remains static at 8.3 per cent
News

Larger businesses told to slash payment terms to 30 days for small suppliers

January 19, 2021
World’s fourth-largest car company Stellantis floats on stock markets
News

World’s fourth-largest car company Stellantis floats on stock markets

January 19, 2021
Jan 19 round-up: NHS reaching capacity; Storm Christoph ‘major incident’; Extend furlough call; New Jag special
News

Stunning Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer goes up for sale on Collecting Cars website

January 19, 2021
Used car market stronger than ever as August sees sales up by nearly 50 per cent for Big Motoring World
News

More research reveals used car buyers are out there during lockdown 3.0 and searching for their next car

January 19, 2021
Chancellor’s Budget pledges hailed by automotive industry
News

Government must announce extension of furlough scheme and business rates holiday before Budget

January 19, 2021
Jan 19 round-up: NHS reaching capacity; Storm Christoph ‘major incident’; Extend furlough call; New Jag special
News

Jan 19 round-up: NHS reaching capacity; Storm Christoph ‘major incident’; Extend furlough call; New Jag special

January 19, 2021

Want to receive the latest news?

Sign up to the Car Dealer daily news briefing for the latest news and advice during these unprecedented times.

Subscribe Now
Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK
Car Dealer Top 100

Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK

December 21, 2020
Used Car Awards Shortlist: Find out who made it through mystery shopping and are now in running for our gongs
News

Used Car Awards Shortlist: Find out who made it through mystery shopping and are now in running for our gongs

January 6, 2021
Car Dealer Live: Data shows there are buyers out there and they want new cars via click and collect, say What Car? team
Car Dealer Live

Car Dealer Live: Data shows there are buyers out there and they want new cars via click and collect, say What Car? team

January 15, 2021
Car Dealer Live: Top tips for car dealers to keep business and spirits high during national lockdown
Car Dealer Live

Car Dealer Live: Top tips for car dealers to keep business and spirits high during national lockdown

January 17, 2021
Less demand at home and abroad sees car production drop by nearly a fifth
News

Car dealers blast manufacturers for continuing to impose sales targets during lockdown 3 as ‘morally wrong’

January 15, 2021
Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice
News

Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice

January 15, 2021
Car Dealer Power

Car Manufacturer of the Year – Where did your manufacturer rank in Car Dealer Power 2020?

January 15, 2021
Car Dealer Power

The best car dealer suppliers named in the Car Dealer Power Awards 2020

November 26, 2020
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
Call us: 020 8125 3880

© 2020 Blackball Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Car Dealer Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100

© 2020 Blackball Media

Log In
Register
Register
Server C