Keith McCluskey, chairman of the National Chevrolet Dealer Council, aims high as the veteran automaker ramps up its efforts to penetrate the growing electric vehicle sector. Amid parent company General Motors’ ongoing efforts to build electric vehicles, McCluskey argued that Chevrolet dealers were looking to beat formidable rival Tesla.
“We want to surpass Tesla in electric vehicles. We want to meet the demand,” McCluskey said.
McCluskey’s statement represents a very different position from General Motors CEO Mary Barra, who has suggested in the past that GM is already leading the electric vehicle revolution. Ultimately, the Dealership Chairman’s announcement bodes well for Chevrolet’s future efforts in the EV sector, as it suggests that Chevy dealers are ready to take EVs seriously.
Reservations for vehicles such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and, most recently, the Chevy Silverado EV have proven that even conventional car buyers are excited about the upcoming electric vehicles. Unveiled at CES in January, the Silverado EV has registered over 110,000 bookings. Some 240 fleet operators have also placed orders for the all-electric pickup.
GM has pledged to invest $35 billion in the transition to electric vehicles. The company also plans to launch 30 electric vehicles worldwide by 2025. This is a significant departure from a few years ago, when veteran car dealers were reportedly actively discouraging customers from buying electric vehicles.
Back in 2016, the Sierra Club sent volunteers to over 300 dealerships across the United States. Volunteers were instructed to learn about electric vehicles. The results were discouraging, as dealers from companies like Ford and GM turned out to be dismissive, if not hostile, of electric vehicles. The electric cars did not charge, they were derided as “golf cars” and there were no electric test drive cars. Members of the Sierra Club who participated in the test also noted that they were strongly nudged into buying internal combustion engine vehicles instead.
As a high-performance brand of General Motors, expectations are high that Chevrolet will produce electric vehicles at various price points for consumers. This should cover not only the Silverado EV, but also vehicles like the electric Equinox and Blazer. The electric Equinox is expected to cost around $30,000, a price that should make it competitive with popular electric vehicles on the market like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.
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Tesla becomes the target of the head of the National Chevrolet Dealer Council in relation to electric vehicles
