Video has an important role to play in the wider adoption of EVs, as dealers will need to educate motorists both on ownership and aftercare. With manufacturers launching electric models and sales increasing, video will offer a way to provide essential information and plug knowledge gaps.
Sales of EVs and other alternatively powered vehicles grew by more than a fifth in 2018, according to latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
EVs require less aftercare due to having fewer moving parts – with Cap HPI calculations showing EVs will cost 23% less than petrol vehicles to maintain over three years/60,000 miles. However, routine servicing will still be a necessity. Customers will be faced with a bill with no immediate indication of what they have paid for, making explainer videos alongside the personal eVHC vital for trust and transparency. Already, many dealers are sending a personal eVHC video with a secondary explainer video tagged on. An eVHC might show problems with the brake discs on an individual’s vehicle, but a general explainer video highlights the impact of not addressing the issue. A general video explaining the service an EV receives will be important if customers are to understand their personal eVHC when their EV is in the workshop.
Video will also be used by OEMs and their franchised networks to assure customers that they are in the hands of the experts. Videos will help consumers understand why that expertise is needed and the training EV technicians have received, to encourage them to remain in the franchised network.
The changing aftermarket will need to be explained to consumers, with video providing the obvious medium choice. A report by global consultants Mckinsey, ‘The Automotive Aftermarket in 2030’, suggests wider adoption of EVs and connected cars, along with other e-commerce solutions, could result in a 30-40% redistribution of aftersales revenue. Dealers will have to offer new services and products, with video a vital tool to fully inform motorists.
EV production will increase to 21 million units by 2030, with the cost of ownership to be on a par with petrol and hybrid vehicles by 2022, according to a report from Deloitte. Even at the buying stage, as EVs become mainstream, so the demand for information will increase. Whilst now two-years-old, a study from Cap HPI in conjunction with Leeds Beckett University found a lack of knowledge about EVs among 70% of the 388 people surveyed.
Video will undoubtedly be crucial in capturing the imagination of regular drivers as well as providing essential information and assurance. Video will also highlight the advantages and benefits of EV driving and, as it does now, provide a means to introduce sales staff and the business, thereby helping in the journey to wider EV adoption.
