Electric cars create a service gap: Stellantis aims to retain customers longer

Image: Stellantis (illustrative)

The service gap created by electric vehicles is gradually affecting brand dealerships. Stellantis Germany aims to use this time to prepare its partners and counter a potential decline in sales.

"Electric vehicles are creating a gap in service facilities. We want to address this by helping dealers retain their customers longer," said Pascal Martens, Director of After-sales at Stellantis Germany, in an interview with Automobilwoche.

The focus also includes older vehicles, whose owners more frequently use independent repair shops. In the first three years, only one in seven drivers goes to a non-branded shop. For vehicles over six years old, less than 40 percent visit brand-specific shops. Martens expects electric vehicles to account for 15 to 20 percent of the total fleet in five years.

The manager identifies two key factors for customer retention: satisfied customers and price. Stellantis aims to improve service quality and urges its partners to take more proactive steps in contacting customers, such as when it becomes clear that brakes need replacement within the next six months. According to Martens, dealers still too rarely bring up such foreseeable maintenance tasks with their customers.

Regarding pricing, Stellantis points to alternatives to expensive original parts, including its own independent repair network “Eurorepar” and the associated parts line used by many Stellantis partners. Additionally, there is the “SUSTAINera” division focused on circular economy models using used and recycled parts, whose offerings are currently being expanded to electric vehicles.

“The repair shop will continue to play a crucial role in the profits our partners earn,” explains Mertens. “I expect the revenues from repair shops to remain stable, and the relationship to profits in retail will not change significantly either.”

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About the author

Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with professional experience in the automotive industry and finance sector. Since 2011, he has been covering electric vehicles, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions for ecomento.de. Learn more.

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