Inside Automotive
Explaining the electrification slump, and the keys to spurring EV adoption — Mark LaNeve | Charge Enterprises
Stellantis, one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, recently announced a partnership with EV infrastructure company Charge Enterprises in an effort to supercharge the automaker’s electrification plans. On this episode of Inside Automotive, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Mark LaNeve, former General Motors, Ford and Volvo executive and president of Charge Enterprises. Watch full segment here.
Top Stories
Ford Motor Company’s U.S. vehicle sales dipped in November on both a monthly and yearly basis as the automotive industry continues to grapple with normalizing demand. The Detroit automaker sold 145,559 units in America during the month, a decline of 0.5% from November 2022 and 2.9% from October 2023. This marks the second consecutive month of falling sales after a sudden 16% jump in September. Read More
A California judge on Monday refused to dismiss a lawsuit targeting Tesla and its insurance arm, setting the company up for a difficult legal battle involving plaintiffs from multiple states. The class-action lawsuit, filed this April by plaintiff Ricky Stevens, alleged that the electric vehicle maker increased customer insurance premiums based on false data. According to the company, rates are determined based on a scoring system that uses information obtained from the vehicle to estimate how safely the owner is driving. Read More
Cruise, the autonomous robotaxi arm of General Motors, may be subject to fines and other penalties amounting to $1.5 million for concealing information about an accident that occurred on Oct. 2 and involved a robotaxi that dragged a pedestrian 20 feet after being hit by another car. In a related development, GM CEO Mary Barra announced on Dec. 4 that the carmaker’s outside assessment of Cruise’s safety will continue until the first quarter of 2024. Read More
On December 5, General Motors, along with its partners EVgo and Pilot Flying J travel centers, announced the opening of 17 EV charging stations as part of its “coast-to-coast EV charging network.” Currently, the charging stations are spread across 13 states and GM plans to bring the total number of stations to 25 before the end of the year. Read More
For Dealers
Loyalty programs: How to use them more effectively at your car dealership
In selling products, dealerships have an incredible opportunity to acquire new customers and retain existing ones. But, according to Polk, the sad truth is that less than 30% of owners are loyal to a dealership. For a dealership, an average defection rate of 70% should be a great motivator to improve loyalty. And in such a competitive market, dealerships often need to use ad campaigns, loyalty programs, promotions, and various other marketing techniques to generate more revenue. Read More
Closing in F&I starts with a strong opening
Most salespeople judge their entire career by how good of a closer they are. In F&I specifically, closing more deals with higher rates and products is everything and most know that their close rate must be a certain number on every deal to make a good living. Successful closing is what it’s all about…or is it? To close more on product in F&I, trainers will tell you it’s all about specific tactics and techniques that put you in the best position to sell. Read More
