Used car dealers offered free EV knowledge training to boost secondhand sales
News
The training programme meets the increasing demand for EVs on the used car market.
GE
George East
29 September 2026 · 3 min read
A new, free training scheme called EV Retail Ready is being offered to independent car dealers stocking and selling used electric vehicles across the UK.
The programme was co-developed by several leading organisations pushing for quicker EV adoption nationwide, including the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), The Independent Motor Dealer Association (IMDA), and EVA England.
EV Retail Ready aims to give sales staff the same level of knowledge and skills offered to employees at manufacturer-backed dealer networks to keep up with growing customer interest in used EVs.
More than 110,000 secondhand EVs were sold in the second quarter of this year, accounting for 5.5% of all used transactions. That is up from 3.3% a year ago and represents the strongest growth since 2024.
Alongside increasing demand, there is a growing call for support amongst leading EV voices to improve in-dealership EV purchasing experiences, as well as dispelling several pieces of disinformation surrounding EVs related to range, affordability, and real-world usage.
Speaking to EV Powered last year, motoring journalist and presenter of The Late Brake Show, Jonny Smith, called for “an educational shift” related to EV adoption. Similarly, former two-time British Touring Car Champion, Jason Plato, believes “that education is key to accelerating interest in electric car buying”.
EV Retail Ready comprises four modules that take learners through a vehicle’s commercial viability, energy and charging information, real-world costs, and the customer journey from browsing to purchase.
The course can be completed at the learner’s own pace and is expected to take a total of around eight hours. Upon finishing the course, they will be officially accredited by the organisers to help customers purchase their EV. When all staff have completed the course, the dealership will receive a wider accreditation.
Those enrolled on EV Retail Ready are also encouraged to use the ClearWatt EV Explorer, a website that compares models and offers information pertaining to real-world range (not official WLTP-quoted figures) and vehicle specifications.
Toby Poston, chief executive at BVRLA, described the training scheme as helping assist “an affordable route into electric driving”.
“Independent dealers are a fundamental part of the transition to electric vehicles,” he said. “More EVs are entering the used market every month, and we need to make sure businesses across the sector have the confidence and knowledge to sell them successfully. “EV Retail Ready offers independent dealers free access to practical support. The industry has come together because a healthy used EV market benefits everyone; fleets, dealers and, ultimately, motorists looking for an affordable route into electric driving.”
Vicky Edmonds, the CEO of EVA England, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with the BVRLA and other important voices in the sector to deliver the EV Retail Ready scheme. The showroom is often a new EV driver’s first point of contact and where they go for advice on whether this is the right car for them.
“They need reassurance from salespeople who understand these cars. This free training programme will provide much-needed support to independent dealers to help them do that. “Our 2026 nationwide driver survey found that around a third of drivers had a positive handover experience. But 1 in 10 still rated their handover experience as poor or very poor, highlighting that consistency and education remain important.”