Eight steps to help retailers drive up EV sales

By Fraser Brown, founder and managing director, MotorVise

Spending significant amounts on marketing electric vehicles (EVs) will yield little return unless retailers address a fundamental issue: appealing to the 80% of potential customers who do not currently see themselves as EV drivers. Without this shift, marketing campaigns risk targeting only a fraction of the market, leaving significant opportunities untapped.
Keyword search data highlights this disparity clearly. Searches for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles consistently outpace those for EVs, with EV volumes often representing just 10-20% of searches. Essentially, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are competing for a relatively small slice of the market. To truly drive the transition to emission-free motoring, OEMs must adopt a more strategic, transformative approach – one that actively encourages substitution from ICE to EV sales, effectively doubling the sales mix statistics.
Our research into EV sales has revealed a clear pathway to achieving measurable results. Based on this knowledge, we developed The MotorVise Enhancing EV Mix Programme, an industry-first initiative designed to expand the pool of EV buyers.
By reimagining the sales experience and addressing negative customer and salesperson perceptions, it centres on creating a supportive, educational and customer-focused retail process. Retailers implementing this programme have already surpassed an EV sales mix of 20%, highlighting the potential of targeted strategies.
The linchpin of this success is the team of people within the retailer. OEMs with strong retailer relationships have an enormous advantage in increasing EV sales. Local operations, with well-established customer rapport and ability to engage in meaningful conversations, are well positioned to address both the benefits and challenges of EV ownership. Unfortunately, this advantage is being undermined by some OEMs pursuing agency models that sever the direct retailer-customer relationship, a strategy that could be described as OEM suicide.
 
Key steps to boost EV sales mix
Successfully increasing sales of battery-electric vehicles requires a multi-pronged approach that addresses every element of the customer journey – from retailer staff experiences to post-sale support. Here are the essential steps that OEMs and retailers must adopt to drive substantial change in the EV sales mix.

1. Provide positive EV experiences for retailer staff
Retailer staff play a critical role in shaping customer perceptions of EVs, making it essential their own experiences are positive. Staff members who drive EVs should have access to home charging facilities, ensuring they can enjoy the convenience of waking up to a fully charged vehicle every morning. Without this, their experience may be fraught with challenges, such as searching for chargers at the retailer, dealing with flat batteries at the end of the day and relying on expensive public charging points to get home.
Retailers must take proactive steps to support staff by installing home charge points. This simple measure enables salespeople to become advocates for EV ownership rather than detractors, transforming their ability to provide authentic, enthusiastic recommendations to customers as well as ensuring test drive vehicles are always fully charged.

2. Transform customer experience
The sales process itself must shift to focus on the unique needs and concerns of each customer. This includes exploring factors such as typical vehicle usage patterns, maximum daily mileage, upfront costs versus long-term fuel savings and access to home charging solutions.
This approach requires a more consultative sales process, with salespeople acting as trusted advisors rather than traditional product pushers. While EVs will not be suitable for every customer’s circumstances, our experience shows that up to 20% of buyers are ready to make the switch today, provided they receive the right guidance and support.

3. Comprehensive EV sales training
The majority of sales teams remain ill-equipped to address the complexities of EV ownership. Many lack both the technical knowledge and conversational skills needed to effectively educate customers about EVs.
At MotorVise, we emphasise the importance of in-depth training that covers all aspects of EV ownership, including: smart meter usage and electricity tariffs; parking and overnight charging options and long-term cost comparisons with ICE vehicles. By training sales teams to ask the right qualifying questions and provide accurate and detailed answers, retailers can create a more informed and confident customer base.

4. Incentivise EV sales
To encourage a stronger focus on EV sales, I’d recommend aligning reward structures with retailer goals. This includes offering higher bonuses for EV sales and implementing gamification techniques to motivate sales teams. These incentives should be carefully balanced to ensure ethical customer advice while promoting proactive engagement with EV buyers.

5. Rethink sales events to prioritise EVs
Traditional sales events, focused purely on volume, can inadvertently harm EV sales mix percentages. Instead, retailers should use these events as opportunities to spotlight EVs
This process begins with targeted communication campaigns designed to educate and engage customers about EV ownership. For example, businesses can send invitations featuring myth-busting information about EVs, comparisons between ICE and EV models and the environmental benefits of making the switch.
Once customers arrive at the showroom, tools such as MotorVise’s EV cost comparison calculator can provide tangible, personalised insights into the financial viability of EV ownership.

6. Include home charging in financing packages
One of the biggest barriers to EV adoption is the cost of installing a home charger, which typically costs £1,000 or more. To address this issue, retailers should integrate the cost of home chargers into PCP or other financing packages, making the transition to EVs more accessible and affordable for buyers.

7. Embed and measure new sales processes
Ensuring the success of new sales strategies requires consistent monitoring and reinforcement. This includes: setting clear key performance indicators (KPIs); providing ongoing coaching for management and sales teams; conducting regular reviews to address shortfalls and drive continuous improvement. Video mystery shopping can also play a crucial role in verifying that the intended processes are being implemented effectively.

8. Leverage tried-and-tested techniques
At MotorVise, we work with 39 brands across Europe, 10 of the top 20 UK retailer groups and 10 OEMs – and we have tested various strategies for driving EV sales. Our Enhancing EV Mix Programme has consistently delivered measurable results, helping retailers climb from mid-table to national top two rankings for EV sales mix. By embracing this radical change brands with strong EV lineups can achieve retail EV mixes exceeding 20%.

Driving change in a competitive market
The transition to EVs represents one of the most significant shifts in automotive history. However, this change requires more than just technological innovation; it demands a fundamental rethinking of how vehicles are marketed, sold and supported.
By placing customers at the centre of the retail experience and equipping sales teams with the tools and knowledge they need, OEMs and dealerships can unlock the full potential of the EV market. The MotorVise Enhancing EV Mix Programme is proof that, with the right strategies in place, significant progress is possible.
As the industry continues to evolve, the brands that embrace these changes will be the ones to lead the charge into a more sustainable, customer-focused future.