Dealers pass through Electric Vehicle Approved scheme

The number of dealers who have passed through the Electric Vehicle Approved scheme has now reached 50.

The scheme, endorsed by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), was launched by the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) in May.

The scheme aims to recognise expertise in the electric vehicle sector and promote industry standards for the benefit of consumers.

It now represents a cross section of brands, including Nissan, Volkswagen, Kia, Hyundai, Renault, Audi, Mitsubishi, JLR, BMW and Volvo.

Since launch 95% of the available slots have been allocated.

Under the EVA scheme, dealerships are independently audited by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to verify that they meet the EVA standards.

The standards cover key areas of EV retail and aftersales including retailers’ communication with the consumer, staff training and availability of charge points on site.

Sales of EVs are growing fast from a low base and consumers still have worries over the cost of vehicles, the size of the charging infrastructure and battery range.

Dealers who have gained approval will be more able to address these anxieties.

“It is extremely positive to see franchised retailers embrace NFDA’s Electric Vehicle Approved accreditation scheme which demonstrates the efforts the automotive retail industry is making to drive the growth of the electric vehicle sector”, said Sue Robinson, director of the NFDA, which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK.

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