Ford Revises Dealer EV Requirements

by Matthew Guy

Published: November 21st, 2023

In what could be a tacit admission the transition to electric vehicles is going approximately as smoothly as a Michigan secondary road, it is being reported that suits at the Blue Oval are rolling back some of the requirements demanded of dealers in order to shill EVs to customers.

According to those in the know at Automotive News, Ford is slashing the required dealer training on electron eaters in half, while also cutting the number of EV chargers a retailer must install. As an example, storefronts popping for the so-called Certified Elite badge of honor now need only install a trio of Level 2 chargers instead of the previous suggestion of five. As well, the requirement of building a burly Level 3 DC fast charger sometime before 2026 has been removed from the agreement altogether.

Meanwhile, dealers fronting for mere Certified (sans Elite) status are on the hook for just two Level 2 chargers, again down from the previous watermark of five. Deadlines for the work to be completed in either case has been pushed back to the end of next June. Supply chain and infrastructure problems are being blamed for the changes.

Of course, our readers in the B&B know the difference. These alterations smack to high heaven of dealer pushback, showing up in the form of loud declarations from Dealer Principals to Area Managers about cost, timing, and color of the showroom tiles. In fact, over two dozen dealers in the state of Illinois successfully pursued a legal case in which they argued the old program violated state franchise laws. As anyone with half a brain would expect, many complaints were lodged about the cost of Level 3 chargers, most of which can recharge an EV in jig time but can hoover up a six-figure invoice without blinking. Dealers apparently argued that slow Level 2 chargers were more than sufficient to keep new EVs full of juice for test drives.

It is worth noting that Level 2s are widely available from a host of different providers – both for commercial and residential installations – and are popping up quicker than kudzu in Kansas. Alert readers will also question how much language is in these agreements requiring dealers keep the chargers in good working order after installing them. If that caveat is not present, there’s every chance in the world those chargers - placed by unwilling dealers who also surely complain about giving away free electricity – will be deader than disco in no time.

[Images: Ford]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.

#Ford #ElectricVehicles #Dealerships #HighFinance

Matthew Guy

Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.

More by Matthew Guy

Comments

Join the conversation

5 of 22 comments

Ollicat on Nov 21, 2023

Climate change - the undefinable term that just results in more government and less freedom.

7 Reply
- See 1 previous
- Redapple2 on Nov 22, 2023
  
  ...and higher costs and taxes. Vladivostok Ice Core Sample Stury. > No man made warming
  
  6
- SCE to AUX on Nov 22, 2023
  
  This EV driver agrees with you.
  
  2
Buickman on Nov 22, 2023

where is Lido when you need him?

3 Reply
- Richard A Shaffer on Jan 06, 2024
  
  He daid.
  
  Like

Recent Comments

Bd2 Lexus is just a higher trim package Toyota. ^^
Tassos ONLY consider CIvics or Corollas, in their segment. NO DAMNED Hyundais, Kias, Nissans or esp Mitsus. Not even a Pretend-BMW Mazda. They may look cute but they SUCK.I always recommend Corollas to friends of mine who are not auto enthusiasts, even tho I never owed one, and owned a Civic Hatch 5 speed 1992 for 25 years. MANY follow my advice and are VERY happy. ALmost all are women.friends who believe they are auto enthusiasts would not listen to me anyway, and would never buy a Toyota. They are damned fools, on both counts.
Tassos since Oct 2016 I drive a 2007 E320 Bluetec and since April 2017 also a 2008 E320 Bluetec.Now I am in my summer palace deep in the Eurozone until end October and drive the 2008.Changing the considerable oils (10 quarts synthetic) twice cost me 80 and 70 euros. Same changes in the US on the 2007 cost me $219 at the dealers and $120 at Firestone.Changing the air filter cost 30 Euros, with labor, and there are two such filters (engine and cabin), and changing the fuel filter only 50 euros, while in the US they asked for... $400. You can safely bet I declined and told them what to do with their gold-plated filter. And when I changed it in Europe, I looked at the old one and it was clean as a whistle.A set of Continentals tires, installed etc, 300 EurosI can't remember anything else for the 2008. For the 2007, a brand new set of manual rec'd tires at Discount Tire with free rotations for life used up the $500 allowance the dealer gave me when I bought it (tires only had 5000 miles left on them then)So, as you can see, I spent less than even if I owned a Lexus instead, and probably less than all these poor devils here that brag about their alleged low cost Datsun-Mitsus and Hyundai-Kias.And that's THETRUTHABOUTCARS. My Cars,
NJRide These are the Q1 Luxury division salesAudi 44,226Acura 30,373BMW 84,475Genesis 14,777Mercedes 66,000Lexus 78,471Infiniti 13,904Volvo 30,000*Tesla (maybe not luxury but relevant): 125,000?Lincoln 24,894Cadillac 35,451So Cadillac is now stuck as a second-tier player with names like Volvo. Even German 3rd wheel Audi is outselling them. Where to gain sales?Surprisingly a decline of Tesla could boost Cadillac EVs. Tesla sort of is now in the old Buick-Mercury upper middle of the market. If lets say the market stays the same, but another 15-20% leave Tesla I could see some going for a Caddy EV or hybrid, but is the division ready to meet them?In terms of the mainstream luxury brands, Lexus is probably a better benchmark than BMW. Lexus is basically doing a modern interpretation of what Cadillac/upscale Olds/Buick used to completely dominate. But Lexus' only downfall is the lack of emotion, something Cadillac at least used to be good at. The Escalade still has far more styling and brand ID than most of Lexus. So match Lexus' quality but out-do them on comfort and styling. Yes a lot of Lexus buyers may be Toyota or import loyal but there are a lot who are former GM buyers who would "come home" for a better product.In fact, that by and large is the Big 3's problem. In the 80s and 90s they would try to win back "import intenders" and this at least slowed the market share erosion. I feel like around 2000 they gave this up and resorted to a ton of gimmicks before the bankruptcies. So they have dropped from 66% to 37% of the market in a quarter century. Sure they have scaled down their presence and for the last 14 years preserved profit. But in the largest, most prosperous market in the world they are not leading. I mean who would think the Koreans could take almost 10% of the market? But they did because they built and structured products people wanted. (I also think the excess reliance on overseas assembly by the Big 3 hurts them vs more import brands building in US). But the domestics should really be at 60% of their home market and the fact that they are not speaks volumes. Cadillac should not be losing 2-1 to Lexus and BMW.
Tassos Not my favorite Eldorados. Too much cowbell (fins), the gauges look poor for such an expensive car, the interior has too many shiny bits but does not scream "flagship luxury", and the white on red leather or whatever is rather loud for this car, while it might work in a Corvette. But do not despair, a couple more years and the exterior designs (at least) will sober up, the cowbells will be more discreet and the long, low and wide 60s designs are not far away. If only the interiors would be fit for the price point, and especially a few acres of real wood that also looked real.