this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2024
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Electric Vehicles

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Kia is paying dealers to sell EVs – that could mean deals for buyers (electrek.co)
submitted 6 months ago by Beaver@lemmy.ca to c/evs@lemmy.world
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[–] fubarx@lemmy.ml 22 points 6 months ago (1 children)

A year ago, I went with my car-enthusiast uncle to a Kia dealer looking to test drive an EV-6. The model had just come out and was getting rave reviews.

They had only two on the lot. We asked to test drive one. The sales guy said management wasn't letting them do test drives and put miles on the car. Hmm, OK. How about we just sit in one?

Nope. Doors are locked. But here's a different model that has a similar 'look and feel,' they said.

What about the price? $10K dealer markup was non-negotiable, they said.

We totally walked away. My uncle said it's the craziest car purchasing interaction he had ever had.

[–] Zipitydew@sh.itjust.works 18 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Dealerships are purposely not selling EVs. They make most of their money on service. EVs have so many fewer parts there are less points of failure.

The manufacturers are mad enough about this some have been buying out and closing dealerships. GM has been doing it a lot with Cadillac and Buick in particular so far.

[–] skozzii@lemmy.ca 9 points 6 months ago

Yep, EVs mean the death of service centers which is how the stealerships make money.

[–] Grass@sh.itjust.works 13 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The dealers tried really hard not to sell the soul ev back when it came out. I would have bought one when I had money if they weren't so adamant that I would actually want the gas one which made me just walk out.

[–] schizoidman@lemmy.ml 7 points 6 months ago

I suppose the dealer knows an EV would result in them earning a lower profit from the lack of servicing required.

[–] Bocky@lemmy.world 11 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Thwy should skip the dealers and pass the savings on to the consumers by selling direct like Tesla does.

I shopped the dealers, it was annoying, so I went online and ordered my car there exactly how I wanted.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

They can’t. There’s a long history of entrenched law protecting dealers from unfair competition by manufacturers. Once you have dealers, there’s no way back

Tesla worked around it by

  • not having dealers
  • making deals with native reservations not subject to state laws
  • clearly distinguishing “service centers” and “showrooms” from places where cars could actually be bought and sold

Ford is trying by splitting out the EV half of the company, but I don’t think you get to wave your magic wand and say “this half the company is now something new that doesn’t have dealers”

[–] guacupado@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I'm planning on getting an EV at the end of the year. I hate Musk as much as the next person with common sense, but I'm probably going to get a Tesla because the dealer markups and "We don't have what we told you to build on our site, but here's something that's the same model at least" are just obnoxious.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 7 points 6 months ago

BYD or Rivian are direct sale EVs without Musk.

[–] evenglow@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Hyundai is trying to sell cars on Amazon.

[–] ShepherdPie@midwest.social 5 points 6 months ago (2 children)

While that might be convenient for some, that is still selling vehicles through a 3rd party.

I don't understand why Hyundai even has a "build your own car" feature on their website as you can't actually order that way directly from them nor can you just waltz down to the dealership and have them order it for you as they're only allocated whatever Hyundai decides to build and send them (at least with the new EVs).

[–] guacupado@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

This is where I figured I'll end up getting a Tesla. I built the Ioniq 5 and it has no option to order. Just "We don't have anything matching that. Here's something that's 'close enough' you can spend $65k on."

[–] ShepherdPie@midwest.social 3 points 6 months ago

Same (though I'll probably just keep driving my Camry)! I want a RWD Limited Ioniq 5 with matte paint but they've been pretty impossible to find out in the wild and definitely impossible to order. I suppose I'll just wait a few years and maybe get an EV when Toyota finally releases a real one and not just some compliance car.

[–] evenglow@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

It's a step in the right direction. Another example of legacy auto copying Tesla. It is a good thing.

Keep in mind that some people buy private party to not go through a dealership.

[–] PP_BOY_@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago (2 children)

The real question here is "how easy are they to steal?"

[–] BruceTwarzen@kbin.social 5 points 6 months ago

In americ or in developed countries?

[–] aubertlone@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I'm assuming since they're electric it would be a little bit harder cuz it might be possibly soft for about needing a key fob or RFID etc etc

But I'm not remotely expert in these kinds of topics. Just a guess for me

Yeah and I watch that YouTube video about the kia boys.

Teenage menaces. Can't say I approve of their shenanigans, but there is a begrudging admiration there somewhere

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 6 months ago (2 children)

There is no 100% safe way for wireless car unlocking. All of them can be hacked its just a matter of how dedicated the attacker is.

But yeah the previous models were just laughably easy to hack.

[–] Vilian@lemmy.ca 2 points 6 months ago

the true queshion is someone with these kinda of knowledge would want to rob an ev? they have gps and shit, wouldn't it more problems than profit?

[–] nexas_XIII@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

They weren't hacked though, right? They just didn't include the chip verification that we've had for decades so people broke into the steering column to turn the ignition. You probably could have used a flathead screwdriver and just jammed that in the key slot and turned and it still would work.

[–] ShepherdPie@midwest.social 2 points 6 months ago

It absolutely would work. People make a big deal about "you can steal it with a USB drive!" as if this is some new sophisticated method leveraging technology but that's just because the hole left after breaking into the column is the same size and shape as a USB port, but the classic "hammer a screwdriver into the ignition" method would work just the same.

[–] skozzii@lemmy.ca -4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Kia's new logo redesign is so stupid.

I refuse to buy one based off the riduliculous logo.

[–] dog_@lemmy.world 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I refuse to buy one due to the lack of immobilizers in their previous models.

[–] jkrtn@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

What is that?

[–] dog_@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

In simple terms, it protects your car from getting stolen.

[–] jkrtn@lemmy.ml 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Oh are these the idiots that made their ignitions work with any random USB drive? LOL yeah smart to avoid them.

[–] dog_@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Correct!