But one long-term challenge the industry should prepare for in unison is the transition of gas- to battery-powered vehicles over the next few decades — an effort, he said, that dealers are well positioned to lead. When viewed in the context of increasing market share and volume, dealers are competitors, Gardner said. “But from the perspective of industry and societal issues, we all have the same concerns to deal with.”
Gardner referenced international automakers like Honda that have established “their own auto plants in America, supporting nearly 2.5 million jobs and $92 billion in investment.”
The combined footprint of the international dealer body and the brands they represent put them on the front lines of leading such large industry changes.
“Our shared objective is not to change what’s powering a vehicle from an internal combustion engine to batteries. Our mission is reducing greenhouse gas emissions to address global climate change,” Gardner said.
The focus, he said, has primarily been on government incentives, the newest product or who is investing the most. “In our view, not enough attention has been focused on the customer, particularly the ownership experience,” he said.
That includes realizing the value in offering new information about charging, infrastructure and the EV ownership. “These are not hardware questions, which is what we’re used to answering,” Gardner said.
“I believe that we can provide new value by becoming environmental consultants,” he said.
“There are many areas where we’ll continue to be fierce competitors but collaborating as an industry can change the narrative about who we are as automakers.”
