Old, wise and EV

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I just had a chat with my uncle, who’s looking to replace my aunt’s car with ‘one of those fancy EV things’.

Now, my uncle is, I would argue, an absolutely perfect example of where we are currently in the electric vehicle conversation.

He’s in the retiree percentile, well off enough that a small electric SUV would be easily attainable, but he’s not at all interested in badge or style.

He’s a self-made worker with some knowledge and skills of a lifetime in the workforce, but he has next to no workable knowledge about EVs.

And crucially, he’s still wary of the dealership model when it comes to buying a new car, but he’s also cognisant that online deals might not be as good as they appear to be.

“Tim, what’s this GM or BD thing I’m seeing on the internet?” he booms. “Should I buy one?”

I quickly assessed that he’d seen articles on both the new MG ZS EV and the BYD Atto 3 and combined them together, and we chatted for a bit about the fact that cars cost a certain amount (ie: rising materials, manufacturing and shipping costs means that the cheap car no longer exists).

I explained that EVs are ridiculously easy to drive and to live with, especially for people doing less than 50km a week as they are.

When he asked about the BYD arrangement, I shared my personal opinion – borne of a career in the automotive space – that I’d steer clear for the moment, just until the dust settles on the service and warranty issues that have marked the EV brand’s debut here.

“Yeah, I gotta say, I was worried about that. What about warranties and this and that?” he said.

I suggested, based on his budget, that he check out the base-model MG ZS EV – it’s got a decent warranty and plenty of bricks-and-mortar retailers, too – but just be prepared for a wait.

As I hung up, I reflected on a few things. First… uncle John wants an EV?! Here’s a bloke with dirt under the nails and petrol in his veins, but he’s actively thinking of changing the habits of a lifetime to buy an electric vehicle. Consider my gob smacked.

Second, the EV retail space is very underdone at the moment, and I actually wonder if it’s being aimed at the right cohort of buyers.

My 26-year-old daughter, for example, wants to go to Paris and buy expensive handbags, but a new (or even used) EV isn’t even on her radar – yet a lot of marketing and communication work is being directed at her age group.

And my 20-year-old wants to blow loads of cash on old Japanese-import cars, but that’s another story…

I reckon there’s an important job for dealerships in the coming years – and it’s not about flipping stock as quickly as possible to meet the insane demand that’s only going to get stronger.

A dealer contact once told me that it takes four times as long to sell an EV on the shop floor as it does an ICE-powered car, but I reckon this will be time well spent.

Granted, a lot of dealers will be concerned about the impact of lower rates of servicing on new EVs rolling out of their showrooms – but that’s been a characteristic of the automotive game forever as service intervals on modern cars get longer and longer.

It’s about looking at the other ways to keep customers in the happy zone – on-site charging that’s complemented by a coffee van, a shady seat and fast wifi, perhaps, or the opportunity to swap the EV for a ute or sports car for a weekend.

And EVs still need tyres, alignments and wiper blades and coolant top-ups…

At their heart, EVs are actually incredibly simple, and it’s this simplicity that will sell EVs to the more mature customer. Hop in, press button, go forward… that’s it.

And the charging question? If a customer is buying an EV for urban duties, a 240V outlet will do the job for most, and a $1000 wallbox will absolutely cover the rest.

I’m keen to see how my aunt and uncle go with their EV purchase and I’ll be following their progress with interest.

And I reckon there will be some interesting lessons to learn.