The purchasing process for electric cars differs in many ways from that for combustion engines. Retailers must also adapt to the changing requirements in order to be able to grow with the market.
USCALE recently published the 2024 EV Retail Study , which looks at the e-car purchasing process from the buyer's perspective. The study reports on the expectations and experiences of e-car buyers during the information phase, the purchase and after-sales. Dr. Axel Sprenger sees a deterioration in the purchasing processes compared to the previous year: " The results are modest: Compared to last year, the results have remained the same, or in some cases have even worsened slightly.
This means that manufacturers, importers and dealers are losing valuable leads to the combustion engine world or their competitors when selling EVs."
Awareness of e-car manufacturers is growing
On average, buyers of electric vehicles named more than 6 brands that they would consider in principle. Buyers are primarily interested in the German premium brands and Volkswagen. Tesla, as an electric pioneer, is (only) in 4th place. As a new Chinese brand, BYD currently enjoys a high level of attention among 20% of potential buyers. Other Chinese brands such as NIO, MG or Xpeng rank significantly behind.
Buying an e-car: The new technology requires detailed advice
Buyers of electric vehicles have a high need for information and many prospective buyers have already researched online before visiting a dealer. For many prospective buyers, e-mobility is an unknown topic. The aim here is to impart knowledge. The quality of the manufacturer and dealer websites, which offer an initial introduction to the topic, is therefore important. If the first impression conveys competence and an attractive range of products, the next step to the dealer is easy. The subsequent qualified advice in the car dealership then ultimately convinces and the purchase decision is made.
What does this mean for the sales organizations of manufacturers and importers and their marketing? How do websites, processes and dealer training need to be adapted?
Retailers still do not meet their customers properly or do not adequately meet their information needs. This means that e-car shoppers do not receive the security they need during the purchase process to be fully convinced. However, security is a crucial criterion for making a purchase decision.
In addition to purchasing advice, the products themselves also play an important role. The participants answered the question why they ultimately did not buy a brand differently. Retailers were only given as the reason in 3% of cases. More relevant are the price, charging technology, the range of models or the availability of the desired vehicle. Here, again, providers who have high stock levels, such as BYD, score points.
The company's own website is its calling card. The dealer who offers a comprehensive range of information, services and a correspondingly large variety of vehicles will win customers here. This must be presented professionally online. Some IT companies, such as Carmato , have now dedicated themselves to this genre of marketing and offer individually tailored solutions. This can be a white label solution or an independent internet shop. A convincing online presence is the customer's first step towards your own offer, and it can be done around the clock - without any personnel costs.
When the customer comes into the showroom, it is important to impress with technical expertise. As a rule, people interested in electric vehicles are already very well informed. The salespeople should have at least the same level of knowledge. Regular training is therefore an important part of staff management.
Test drives are the be-all and end-all
Ultimately, it is not well-intentioned promises that convince customers when buying an electric car, but rather the driving experience they experience themselves. The best way to test this is to take a long test drive. The personal, individual experience shows relatively clearly whether the selected vehicle meets your own requirements. If the space, speed, comfort, design and technology are convincing, the chance of a successful purchase increases significantly. Here, the study shows a great interest in longer test drives, ideally over 2 to 3 days, so that the vehicle can also be extensively tested in everyday situations such as shopping, transporting children or driving at night.
On voylt we offer you a comprehensive overview of electric vehicles of all categories in our e-Garage . And here we offer a special service, because we arrange test drives of your desired vehicle in your area. Just give it a try.
The entire study can be purchased via UScale:
