Quite a few Ford dealers are ready to go the distance for an electrified future.
A few months ago, Ford gave dealerships an ultimatum; either opt in to its new EV sales and service model, or don’t and lose the ability to sell EVs at all. According to new reports, about two-thirds of Ford dealers chose to make the leap, and opt in. That’s 1,920 of the 3,000 Ford dealerships.
For those unfamiliar, Ford offered dealers two tiers of “EV certification,” both required substantial upgrades to dealership infrastructure, like installing chargers (both level 2 and DC Fast chargers), and training for technicians. The cost will range anywhere from $500,000 for the lower tier, or $1.2 million for the upper tier, per dealership.
CEO Jim Farley says that 80% of the Ford dealers that joined the program, opted for the higher-tier Elite program. The more expensive plan of the two, the more prestigious certification allows dealerships to get more EV allocations compared to others. The dealers that didn’t opt in at all can still sell Ford vehicles, but they won’t be allowed to sell EVs until the program’s enrollment reopens, in 2027.
It’s not all fun and games, though – some dealers who didn’t opt into the program are pushing back on Ford, insisting that curtailing their abilities to sell and service models Ford sells is breaking franchise laws. The Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association, along with dealerships in Illinois and New York have filed a complaint and voiced their concerns to Ford.
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