To better understand the electric vehicle dealership experience, Ready to Launch Research conducted a secret shopper study evaluating how sales staff present hybrid and electric vehicles. The study aimed to benchmark dealership performance and customer education across major EV brands.
Ten trained shoppers visited three dealerships each—targeting Tesla, Nissan, BMW, Toyota, and Volkswagen—for a total of 30 visits. Each shopper was instructed to test drive a hybrid or electric vehicle and ask consistent questions regarding range, charging options, pricing, and features. Post-visit, participants completed in-depth interviews to assess dealership transparency, product knowledge, and overall EV sales experience.
This automotive market research study revealed stark differences in how dealerships engage EV shoppers. While some brands excelled in customer education and test drive experiences, others lacked clarity on battery technology and ownership costs. The findings provided EV consumer insights to improve dealership training and optimize the hybrid and electric vehicle path-to-purchase.
