Ford Dealers Fight EV Certification Program
Groups in three states file complaints over required investments, restrictions.
Dealer associations had already complained to Ford about the rules, which require dealers to invest in dealership training and upgrades costing as much as $1.2 million each and to introduce new sales standards that include non-negotiable sticker prices.
IMAGE: Ford
Ford, which already got pushback from dealers about its electric-vehicle dealer certification requirements, is now facing formal complaints by dealers in several states, Automotive News reported.
Dealers in Arkansas, Illinois and New York are challenging the automaker over the rules, which is requiring its more than 3,000 dealers to be in one of two tiers of EV offerings.
The dealers say Ford’s EV program violates franchise laws, the publication said.
Arkansas’ dealers association was the first to take action when it filed a complaint against Ford through the state motor vehicle commission in October. Then 27 dealerships in Illinois filed a similar complaint with that state’s commission last week, and four New York dealers filed a lawsuit against Ford several days earlier.
Dealer associations had already complained to Ford about the rules, which require dealers to invest in dealership training and upgrades costing as much as $1.2 million each and to introduce new sales standards that include non-negotiable sticker prices.
Automotive News reported that the lawsuit in New York could result in an automatic stay of Ford’s dealer certification program as a judge considers the matter. The suit claims the requirement that dealers invest in one of the certification tiers in order to sell EVs is unlawful. The publication said Ford said the program is “consistent with all relevant laws.”
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More F&I
AI: Facilitator, Not Fixer, in F&I
The dealerships that thrive in the years ahead will be those that embrace technology while continuing to invest in the people who make customer interactions count.
Read More →
Modern Technology Objection Handling
In this video, Trent White shares how to confidently handle technology-based objections by helping customers understand the value of protection, even with modern vehicle technology.
Read More →
Consistency at Scale: Driving F&I Performance
With 75 rooftops across the Sunshine State, Morgan Auto Group has proven to Floridians that it knows a thing or two about driving performance in a competitive market. But it didn’t start at the top.
Read More →
Gitty Up on GAP
The foundational finance-and-insurance product hasn’t kept up with the latest conditions for auto dealers. Is the time ripe?
Read More →
How AI-Powered Coaching Is Transforming F&I Performance
See how AI-powered coaching can turn F&I customer conversations into actionable insights that support compliance, performance and profitability
Read More →
Sell Value, Build Trust
In this video, Trent White explains why selling on value, not fear, builds lasting customer trust, reduces cancellations, and drives long-term success.
Read More →
F&I Sales Give Dealers First-Half Lift
Product business shored up total profits to avoid an overall revenue tanking as product penetrations held steady, StoneEagle reported.
Read More →
Targeted Training Drives Results
Today’s technology, instead of threatening F&I managers, can actually make them better, according to an industry veteran who’s watched market setbacks roil the unprepared.
Read More →
Double the Change, Double the Chance
When an F&I manager gets a customer refusal, it’s a wise move to tweak more than one thing in the product offering.
Read More →
Just Do It
F&I managers need training, but instead of resisting application or expecting perfection, they should improve by simply acting on what they learn.
Read More →