Its high prices and lack of awareness of its benefits and maintenance are factors that limit its preference for purchase

Dealers «used»: We offer the most requested .. Marketing electric cars is difficult

The director of "First Choice Cars", Ahmed Al Shamsi, said that the demand for electric and hybrid cars in the used car market is limited, compared to the demand for conventional fuel-powered cars, despite it being a future trend in the sector.

He attributed this to the large increase in the prices of these cars, the absence of diversity in the versions offered in the agencies within the country, the lack of wide marketing, or the offering of discount and promotional offers on them, especially with the challenges related to the level of awareness of consumers about these types of cars.

Al Shamsi pointed to other factors related to the modernity of this type of cars on the market, and the lack of more diverse models.

He added that government agencies in Dubai greatly stimulate the use of electric cars, and have launched many incentives to acquire them, such as registration facilities, free public parking, or the provision of free charging areas in many markets, as well as commercial centers that allocate distinctive parking for those Cars allow multiple chargers for them, which calls for a role for car agencies to market more and offer discounts.

Al Shamsi added: “What proves the importance of marketing electric cars is the experience of (Tesla), which marketed its brand globally and witnessed a high demand for it, compared to other models of electric cars, while hybrid cars were marketed through models that follow the Japanese Toyota brand, through agreements to use them. In taxis in Dubai and other Emirates ».

He pointed out that the Corona pandemic affected the automobile sector in general, including used ones, and had greater effects on electric cars, limiting their gradual spread and marketing.

Consumer awareness

For his part, the director of the Property Company for Cars, Arif Sorour Al-Suwaidi, agreed with Al Shamsi that the demand for used electric and “hybrid” cars is very limited, which prompted used car companies to limit the supply of this type of cars, especially in light of the repercussions Corona.

He attributed the limited demand to the limited availability of that type of cars in new car outlets, mainly, as the new electric cars offered in the markets are very limited, in addition to the challenges of weak consumer awareness about them, and the great increase in their prices, compared to regular vehicles, which makes most of the demand Consumers are moving towards traditional cars, and therefore used car companies are working on offering the types that are most demanded by the consumer.

He continued: “Despite the limited demand for electric cars, the few percentages of the cars that are offered are concentrated in (Tesla) models, because it was able to adequately promote its brand during the last period, and some dealers, despite the small number of them, started to buy that car at Their availability, despite the high price, ”he said, pointing out that the average price of the 2019 model year of the Tesla 100 car ranges between 180,000 and 200,000 dirhams.

Maintenance and repair

In the same context, Mustafa Mahmoud, a sales official at the Exotic Used Car Trade Fair, said that used car dealerships that import hybrid or electric cars (which are very limited operations) are working on re-exporting them to foreign markets, given that Due to the difficulty of selling them in the local markets, which witness a great slowdown in demand for these types of cars, and they increased in greater proportions during the Corona pandemic.

He stressed that consumers are thanks to the purchase of guaranteed cars for maintenance, repair and resale operations, or spare parts, in addition to buying at reasonable prices, which makes them turn to traditional fuel-powered vehicles instead of electric ones.

He pointed out that electric and hybrid cars account for rates that do not exceed, in their maximum estimates, 2% of the total demand to buy cars, which makes their offer very limited, due to the difficulty of marketing them, given their high prices, and consumers' lack of preference to buy them now.

He explained that the used car market is often a reflection of the new car market, which offers very limited types and high prices for electric and hybrid cars, which are modern types that will need more time to be available at reasonable prices in the used car market.

Weak consumer awareness ... and the resale market

The director of “Mr. Khamis Showroom for Cars Trade”, Mr. Khamis, said that used car markets are witnessing limited and modest demand for electric and hybrid cars, which made most of those exhibitions not preferable to display, pointing out that electric and hybrid cars account for a rate ranging between 1 and 2% of Total demand for cars in the market.

Khamis indicated that consumers' awareness of these cars is weak and the feasibility of buying them, especially as they are exaggeratedly high in price, compared to the prices of traditional cars that dealers prefer due to their prices, and the existence of a good market for resale.

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