An integral part of the Canadian federal government’s plan to reduce carbon emissions is the mandate that vehicles powered solely by gas will no longer be available on the market as of 2035. That means the country only has a decade to prepare for the largest transition the auto industry has seen since the electronic fuel injection system was introduced in 1966, if not the Ford’s Model T’s arrival in 1908.
Automobile dealerships are in the most advantageous position to capitalize on the transition. Dealerships, armed with an existing customer base, have an opportunity to usher their communities into the new era while reaping the financial rewards. Becoming a part of a vast network of EV advocates involves meeting public demand while outfitting the premises with requisite infrastructure. The latter begins with EV charger installation.
Why Edmonton Area Dealerships Should Get Ready for Large-Scale Adoption of Electric Vehicle Sales with EV Charger Installation
Consumer Confidence + Customer Acquisition
CAA National reports that the top concern of current and potential EV drivers in Canada is the availability (or lack thereof) of public charging. Almost 45% of survey respondents named public charging availability their primary stressor. A simple confidence booster for consumers is seeing that EV dealers already have charging stations available on-site. Having available charging stations on-site also allows sales staff the opportunity to demonstrate and train customers on how charging stations work.
Manufacturers Like Stellantis and Ford Require It
EV charger installation is important to service customers and garner inventory. With limited supply to keep up with demand, EV manufacturers are reluctant to send their inventory to dealers without the infrastructure. Back in 2022, groups like Stellantis (Jeep / Chrysler / RAM) stated that they would require dealers to install chargers by the beginning of 2024 to be eligible to sell EV inventory. Ford’s Model e Program also requires dealers to invest significantly in EV adoption in order to gain access to the complete line of Ford EVs. Simply put, now is the time for auto dealerships to update their facilities accordingly.
Offers Mechanics/Technicians Flexibility:
Chargers installed within your dealership’s service bay allow mechanics and technicians to test-drive EVs as much as needed during maintenance without worrying about draining batteries. It also allows them to return vehicles that have been brought in for maintenance to their owners (your customers) fully charged.
To this end, below is an image from our recent EV installation project for Go Kia South Edmonton. For Go Kia, we added a Bosch 30 kW DC fast charger and five 11.5 kW Level 2 chargers by Siemens (VersaCharge Gen 3).
Scalable Solution for Inevitable Growth
Few “traditional” dealerships will initiate a large number of installations from the get-go. The capital expenditure required of an en masse production (even with incentive programs) is out of range for many. However, infrastructure completed in phases must be scalable to prepare for the provincial and federal goal of 2035. This can be accomplished through strategic implementation that allows your dealership to control its entire EV business with one integrated platform. Software that has been configured to allow central control creates greater efficiencies, and will allow your dealership to monitor energy expenditure and schedule charging for when it is at the lowest cost. The key to success for dealerships is to create an EV infrastructure plan from the beginning. This involves choosing the right installer.
Initiating EV Charger Installations
Car dealerships may not realize that like any commercial enterprise in Canada, that they too may qualify for a range of provincial and federal grants, rebates, and tax credits that can be applied to establishing EV infrastructure. These programs may help you cover a significant portion of the implementation expense, which will allow you to realize a return on investment (ROI) sooner than anticipated through increased EV sales and accessory upsells along with enhanced operational efficiencies. Programs generally require that organizations work with certified installers, so if your dealership is in the Edmonton or Northern Alberta area, connect to BLDG Electric right away for a consultation.
