Top of Mind
As I read through both the English and French editions of the April 2023 issue of Autosphere Mag, it’s clear to me that the entire industry is thinking about electrification. It seems that no matter which segment of the auto industry you call home, we’re all preoccupied with electrification… and for good reason.
I think Yanick Jomphe, CRM Specialist and Training Consultant summed it up best in the opening words of her column in the French edition when she said, “The electrification of vehicles is the topic of the hour.”
Those words couldn’t be closer to the truth. We’ve been talking about electrification for years, and in 2023, it feels like EVs are finally going to make a big splash. Consumers seem to have embraced them, and governments around the globe seem to be determined to phase out fossil fuels as they impose mandates that will force carmakers to limit the production and sale of traditional ICE vehicles.
A seismic shift
Just think for a moment about the seismic shift our industry has to go through in order to succeed in this new electrified reality. Dealers need a new sales and service model in order to stay profitable in a world where regular oil changes and other maintenance items are no longer needed.
Fleet managers need to wrap their minds around the fact that they need to invest in a charging infrastructure, before investing in vehicles. And you’d be surprised how many stakeholders need to be involved in this decision-making process. You’ll find a full report in this issue in the article, “Putting the
Cart Before the Horse.”
Special tires
Tire manufacturers have to redesign their tires to handle the extra weight of EV batteries. These heavier vehicles need special tires, and the tire industry is introducing HL (Heavy Load) tires that can handle the extra mass. You’ll find a full report in this issue in the article, “The High-Performance Evolution.”
And finally, local garages and collision repair facilities need to figure out how to fix EVs and get them back on the road again. It’s clear that our industry is changing, and we’re heading towards interesting times. You can count on us to keep you on top of all the changes, and ahead of the learning curve.
