Dealers in some jurisdictions south of the border are fighting automakers in court. In Canada, the controversy recently subsided somewhat after months of acrimonious negotiations between Ford Canada and a group of dealers pushing for changes to Ford’s e-certified program.
Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, the automaker appeared to listen to demanding retailers that it required tailor-made upgrades and investments according to dealers’ individual market realities.
It’s an approach that makes sense, particularly when the level of electric-vehicle adoption varies across the provinces.
Quebec and British Columbia, for example, have the highest EV adoption rates, thanks to supportive policies such as provincial consumer rebates and zero-emission-vehicle mandates compelling automakers to reach legislated EV targets.
EV technology, said Milette, “will evolve right across Canada.”
But, “there are easier markets to launch vehicles like the province of Quebec, like the province of BC, where they have had local programs … for years. But we want to bring the whole network of Nissan forward.”
Retailers, he said, will be ushered into the EV era at a pace that will leave “no dealers behind.”