The sales of electric vehicles - the role of the salespeople and the customers’ assessments

The report presents results from questionnaire surveys of some 1000 car buyers in Sweden and Norway as well as interviews with Norwegian car sellers. All car buyers think reliability is the most important thing about the car, then follows the economy. Buyers of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) emphasize environmental characteristics, whereas petrol / diesel vehicle (ICEV) buyers put road safety high. The BEV buyers are well prepared when they come to the seller, having decided which car to buy. A minority of the customers believes the decision is being influenced by the seller. Customers get as much information from social contacts and media as from the salespeople. For all car types, the customers report that the sellers do a very good job. Sellers analyse customers’ needs, provide accurate information of the public incentives and the technical and economic characteristics of the vehicles. Believing BEVs are the future, the salespeople in Norway appreciate the BEV sales. Sellers get the same training for all cars sold by their companies, thinking they treat all car customers in the same way. ICEV buyers appear to get more attention from the sellers, maybe because these customers need more information.