Tesla VP responds to dealer criticism of sales plans
After the recent announcement from Tesla Motors about their plans to set up a network of company owned retail outlets to sell and service the Roadster and future models, some traditional franchised dealers responded in a negative way. First of all aside from issues like pensions and health care, the traditional franchise dealer system may well be the biggest problem that the domestic car makers have. The domestics have far too many dealers and state franchise laws make it difficult or impossible to consolidate them. The number of dealers makes it difficult for car-makers to extinguish dying brands like GMC or Mercury. In his latest entry on the Tesla Blog VP Darryl Siry responds to a dealer who wrote in to Automotive News to attack Tesla's plans. As we've learned from talking to Darryl and CEO Martin Eberhard, a big part of Tesla's plan to create sustainable mobility is to first create a sustainable business. Given the unpleasantness that generally accompanies a visit to a car dealer, if Tesla can find a way to improve on that to help sell their cars and subsequently help their business survive, people should be praising them for trying something new. Find the rest of Darryl's response at the Tesla blog.
[Source: Tesla Motors]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
susan.kraemer 3:43PM (6/07/2007)
Tesla's plan is akin to the way that Apple marketed iPODs and Apple computers in an all mac store with no PCs.
It makes sense. I tried to testdrive a ZENN in a 'normal'(internal combustion engine) dealership and was really turned off by the incomprehension of the sales staff of the radical change in technology of an electric vehicle.
(Unfortunately the ZENN is too slow at 25 mph, it is restricted to NEV speeds)
It would be suicidal to trust a precious commodity like the electric vehicle Tesla with an oil pusher dealership.
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jeremie 5:13PM (6/07/2007)
I'm on Tesla's side on this one...
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