Car dealers make the Evergreen State even greener
By Brad Brotherton
What if I told you that the auto dealers of Washington state are on the front lines in the fight against climate change? I wouldn’t blame you if you did a double take. But I’d ask you to hear me out – to let me make the sale.
Local dealerships have embraced electric vehicles as products we’re proud to sell. Fifteen years ago, that wasn’t the case. In their early days, electric vehicles were questionable in terms of quality and, for most consumers, value. Manufacturers mainly built them to satisfy government mandates, not customer desires. EVs didn’t have the range or power that most customers needed, and charging infrastructure was in its infancy.
Everyone liked the idea of electric cars. But the early products were only worth the daunting expense to a sliver of the market. They were, in many ways, a luxury.
EVs have evolved. Today, they’re sleek and powerful. They can traverse the same long distances as most gas-fueled cars. And local dealerships have embraced them. Why wouldn’t we? We’re in the business of selling cars, not sticking to a hidebound idea of what a car should be.