A shopper in Texas, looking for the new Chevrolet Volt, was told that there wasn?t one within 1000 miles. At a California dealership, meanwhile, there were more than 20 Volts in stock, and personnel noted that Chevy?s plug-in hybrid is their top-selling car?and that it ?flies off the lot.?
Both dealership visits were around the same time, this spring, and the shoppers were taking notes on their experience as part of a broad survey about the electric-car shopping experience, organized by the environmental organization Sierra Club.
The results point out that while some dealerships do go above and beyond to sell plug-in models, many are simply deciding it?s not worth the time or effort. And they beg a reality check: If you were a Chevy dealer in Texas, would you stock Volts" Or Silverados" Some of the conclusions of the organization?s Rev Up EVs survey and report point to greater issues facing automakers as they try to market and sell such models. Electric cars remain a tough sell to those outside a relatively narrow, self-selected group of buyers concentrated along the West Coast and in the urban Northeast?those who lock on to EVs? green credentials and aren?t fazed by things like a limited range, a somewhat higher price, or an often low resale value. Stray outside those areas, and you?ll be much more likely to be disappointed by dealerships that don?t necessarily have plug-in vehicles in stock, don?t know where to charge them, or aren?t clued in about incentiv...