Transition to EV, why Ford/GM still need dealers to sell the trucks?

[don.mullins]

No, we don't need dealers, at all. They are redundant.

But we will still need a service locations in an EV world. One big complaint I hear from the Telsa world is frustration over lack of service facilities.

I would venture that a significant number of vehicle service events are non-ICE related. A Tesla power window / power seat motor / Infotainment screen is just as likely to fail as a Ford ICE vehicle. EVs and modern ICE vehicles are both very computer and sensor dependent - those are the new points of failure.

Even on my old, primitive ‘02 F250 I had needed as many services due to sensors and wiring harness than ICE system failures in it’s 362k mile service life. And the ICE failures were in belt-driven accessories and not the engine itself.

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[techguydave]

That said, I fully expect some version of a "Right to Repair" bill to be passed before my Model 3 goes out of warranty anyway

Do we live in the same USA? No way in hell that'll ever pass.

 

[Marshall]

Do we live in the same USA? No way in hell that'll ever pass.

It already exists at the state level in a limited number of states and in a limited capacity of course, but in Massachusetts in particular it has even been expanded to include telematics data.

The expanded law is currently being challenged in court, but based on recent back and forth with the auto industry, it looks like the judge may be signaling that he will uphold the expansion of the law. I believe that he is expected to rule in early March sometime.

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