Would you buy a new car online?

We are all aware of the rise of purchases of many items on the internet and accept this as an additional alternative channel which appeals to many.
During covid for many customers it was the only way to purchase goods and the big supermarkets offered the chance to order your food and household needs online with free delivery to your home.
In the motor dealer world, although there was the opportunity to view online and find out about the product and whether it met their criteria, nearly all customers wanted to view and test drive the car before making the final decision. There are many reasons why this makes sense. We are not only different in shape and size but in the modern world we require the car to perform several tasks and need to be sure it meets these demands.
Now Steve Young, who is managing director of ICDP, suggests in his blog that dealers should embrace this additional sales channel and provide experts from their own business to provide a professional and helpful range of services online.
These advisors who not only have details of the product but can ask the right questions of the potential purchasers and ensure they have all the necessary information to make the correct purchase. They can also offer the opportunity to test drive the product and satisfy the particular requirements of the purchaser. Are we able to find a comfortable and safe driving position? Do the family and all their gear fit in with space to spare? What emissions and choice of power is needed if travel regularly has to meet ULEZ and congestion charges if not meeting certain standards?
This of course will be more necessary as the manufacturers seek to increase the percentage of electric cars between now and 2035. Yes, it’s true the government has put back the date to 2035 for the end of internal combustion engine vehicles but from next year, 2024, the manufacturers need to hit an objective of a 22% share of new car sales being electric, or pay some very high fines. You may have already been asked to delay your electric car purchase delivery to January for this reason and be encouraged to take your combustion engine car this month for the same reason.
According to a recent Dataforce survey looking at new car sales over the past 12 months only eight marques currently reach the 22% threshold. The rest face enormous fines. Ford with only 2% EV sales would face fines over £400,000 in 2024 and Toyota (over 1% EV sales) over £300,000. It is possible some manufacturers will restrict their sales of petrol and diesel cars in 2024 while boosting sales of electric vehicles beyond market demand.
Those manufacturers who have excess sales will be able to sell credits to those who do not meet the objective and this will ease some of the disruption but look out for developments in 2024.