11 Automotive Experts Discuss the Future of Electric Vehicles

Charity Dunning

Industry experts such as Ed Roberts, Art Shaw, Sean Reyes, Laurie Halter, Dave Foy and more offer their perspectives on how EV will affect and change the automotive industry.

June 14, 2022

11 Automotive Experts Discuss the Future of Electric Vehicles

We’ve asked some of the most influential people in the automotive community about what they think our industry will look like when electric vehicles dominate our roads.

There are questions we all ask ourselves in the automotive industry: What will fixed operations look like in and EV-dominated era? Are we in an EV era now, and if not, how soon will it be here? Will fixed operations become obsolete any day soon? At all?

Is EV technology one that you should be afraid of, or embrace? One constant in life and in the automotive industry is change. The real question is: Do you embrace change or fear it?

(NOTE: Full episodes that are currently released are available HERE.)

Ed Roberts, COO of Bozard Ford Lincoln, shares what he thinks of the emerging EV marketplace.

Perhaps the relationship between computers, technology and EV will make the job of technician a hot ticket item again. EV technology can be more desirable for younger generations who want to work on cars, but also computers. Ed Roberts (Bozard Ford Lincoln) talks about the thrill of chasing the new “thing.”

(As of this publishing, Ed Robert’s full episode is not yet released. If you want to be notified when it does launch, subscribe either follow us on YouTube or like our company page on LinkedIn!)

Are EVs coming as soon as you think? Art Shaw, the CEO of RepairPal does the math. If in 2035, 50% of the new cars sold are EV, that means – still – EV vehicles will only represent 13% of the cars on the road.

(Art Shaw’s full episode is yet to be released as of this publishing. If you want to be notified when it does launch, subscribe either follow us on YouTube or like our company page on LinkedIn!)

Is the transition to EV inevitable? It’s what consumers want – they’ve proven so. But, Sean Reyes, CEO of Recall Masters believes that the Tesla story isn’t finished yet. The service history of Tesla is yet to be written, making local dealerships a necessity for years to come.

(Sean Reyes’ full episode is yet to be released. If you want to be notified when it does launch, subscribe either follow us on YouTube or like our company page on LinkedIn!)

“Whether you’re afraid of technology or not, it’s coming.” Laurie Halter, owner of Charisma!, reminds us that you can either adapt or bury your head in the sand.

Will EV take up a majority of the market share in 5-10 years? Will service be replaced? There’s one positive on the consumer side: it certainly will make the service process easier for customers. Corey Smith, National Fixed Ops Training Manager for National Auto Care envisions a progressive service center with the convenience of Starbucks.

Manufacturers are bragging about their EV vehicles, whether they’re available or not. Texas, Florida, California… states are taking on EV infrastructure and federal laws are making that easier. Manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon. Corey Gilbert and Lucas LaFontaine of Infinity Energy are looking at a growing adoption rate year after year.

Last year there was a 4% adoption of EV vehicles, and that’s expected to double next year. Manufacturers went from 20-25 deployed EV vehicles to over 300. The industry is creating more options, more price points. Corey Gilbert and Lucas LaFontaine give us some data on EV adoption.

Change happens. What can you do when change inevitably happens? Michael Perry, National Sales Director of FixedOPS Marketing says it’s okay to be afraid, but to embrace change.

When it comes down to it, change is inevitable… Jay Goninen of WrenchWay understands that career paths may change, dealerships, and service may change, but what is important is your happiness and achieving your goals.

“The windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror…” Michael Barish, The Fixed Ops Doc, says it clearly: Regardless of where the industry goes or where technology takes us, look forward, not backwards.

Be proud of what you do, and how you do it. Is it all about technology and development, or is it about helping others and creating your own success? Dave Foy, VP of Fixed Operations for Quantum5 and famous podcaster believes it’s all in how you approach life and learning.

You’ve now heard from the many expert voices in the automotive industry. How do you think the influx of electric vehicles will shape dealerships in the future? Share your thoughts with us.

If you’re looking for more information on EV and the future, we highly recommend watching Infinity Energy’s WTF?! Episode, where we answer such questions as:

Who’s responsible for paying for charging stations (dealerships or customers)?
Is the industry prepared for what’s coming?
How do we successfully transition to EV?
How easy (or hard) will the transition be and what will that look like?
How many electric vehicles are on our roads today… How much is that expected to grow in the future?

At FixedOPS Marketing, we support EV service marketing for fixed operations. If you’re looking to attract some of these vehicle owners to your service department, give us a call and we’ll show you how we do it. We’ll help you embrace EV service marketing technology.