How EVs May Change Our Business: Mr Retail

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Tesla Cybertruck: What 12 volters should know.

By Mr Retail

Let it be known publicly that I love ICE, or internal combustion engines. I love the sound, smell, feel, and performance characteristics of them. My wish would be that BEV, or battery electric vehicles, would all go away. But that is putting my head in the sand, so let’s move on.

If you are following the trends of electric vehicle adoption in this country, it has been a slow roll. Outside of a few states, the numbers are quite trivial. But, it is beginning to change. In 2022, more than 750,000 new BEV’s were registered in our country, representing a 57 percent  increase over 2021. While 750K is a fraction of the total 13.6 million new vehicles sold, it’s high enough that we have to start paying attention, as the future is coming.

Ford, GM and the Hyundai group are all going full steam towards BEV. GM just overtook Ford in sales there, so a new war for sales supremacy is on the horizon. Even pickup trucks are going electric. Ram just said its truck is going to have a range over 500 miles with a larger battery option. That will likely be a game changer for people with “range anxiety.”

Here are some important things to consider as BEV’s become more prevalent in our install bays:

The voltage of these cars will likely change. Tesla announced that its Cybertruck will have a 48v system and all its future vehicles will also move to this standard. Considering that Tesla sold well over 500,000 vehicles in this country in 2022, we can’t ignore them any longer.

Will the capability of the “low voltage” part of the vehicle become more limited in the future, affecting the output potential of our new amplifiers we want to sell?

Remote starters will likely not be a category as there is no engine to start. You simply go onto your phone and activate the climate control, or even better, set it up on a schedule, just like in your house.

Dash cameras could fade away as more and more cameras come standard on these vehicles coupled with the ability to remote monitor them.

Subscription based features may become more mainstream as vehicle manufacturers look to help amortize the increased costs of these vehicles. So a car that comes stock with base audio can see a higher performing audio system go active by simply activating a subscription. And think about the implications on used vehicles in the future.

None of the above comments are designed to scare you. Rather, I hope they get you to start paying attention to what is happening. Be grateful you don’t own a chain of quick-lube centers as their long term potential is non-existent unless they completely change their business model.

My suggestion is to watch what is happening with vehicle brands, their forward focus, and how your local market is being affected. You may find some positive opportunities here.

About Mr Retail

Mr Retail offers opinions and information on car audio retailing for CEoutlook. He wishes to remain anonymous. He has owned a retail store in this country for over 20 years now. Mr Retail loves what he does and loves the 12 volt industry and is happy to share his hard won expertise.

 

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1 Comment

  1. To make batteries for BEV’s is and is going to strip so many lands that is will destroy the water supplies in those areas. BEV’s are not green, they are destructive and are an abomination to the earth.

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