Dealerships will need to evolve their business models to meet customers where they are, whether they prefer to transact online or in person, or are early or later adopters of electrified vehicles, AutoNation CEO Mike Manley said.
The transition to electrified powertrains will be long, and it’s unclear how consumers will take to vehicles without a gasoline-powered engine, Manley told attendees Thursday at the J.D. Power Auto Summit. Yet the transition is underway and “inevitable,” he said, and it will require dealers and automakers to work together to remake the buying process.
Manley said dealerships’ sales process should not be dictated by powertrain type, whether electric or internal combustion, and that a customer base will exist for both for years to come. But consumers will need multiple access points into the purchase process because some will want to transact online and take delivery at home, while others still desire in-person interactions.
