Better customer service is key to the spread of EVs

EVs are becoming increasingly popular yet they still comprise only 1% of the global car market. Numerous carmakers are scaling up their EVs productions as more and more countries are committing to sustainable mobility. However, it still looks like something more than effective marketing is required for a profound change to happen quickly.

Thanks to the consultancy Capgemini we might already know where some of the tipping points for the industry lie. According to the consultancy, the recipe for EVs success is increasing diversity and making the customer the key concern of marketing efforts.

Based on extensive customer and industry experts surveys, Capgemini considers low flexibility and narrow choice the major blocks to more rapid industry growth. Not enough choice narrows the range of customers as available models may not be to everyone’s taste. Thus, making products more appealing to diverse customer segments should be a major strategy for car manufactures in coming years.

And it’s not so much about predicting as about understanding. Evidence-based marketing should be key with manufacturers deconstructing how each client’s experience changes after switching to an electric vehicle. For example, the study notes that 80% of surveyed car owners were holding back on buying EVs because they had no idea where to charge them locally. Meanwhile, four out of five current EV owners still do most of the charging at home, which means having to plan well ahead for the longer trips.

Customization and modularisation mean optimizing infrastructures for more diverse products range, while interfaces through which EV owners interact with the world should be made as smooth as possible. Retailers also need to gain a better understanding of what offer or service bundles might work best for specific customers, considering their unique mobility needs.

Service providers are already starting to get the idea. For instance, EVgo offers access to charging stations for a fixed monthly subscription, NewMotion uses prepaid cards, while Ecotricity provides discounts for home electricity bills, which can be turned into cheaper EV charging.

Overall the study suggests that “OEMs and retailers need to jointly adopt a more holistic view of the customer lifecycle, offering comprehensive services that minimize the risks associated with electric car ownership”. With the first few million electric vehicles already on roads, manufacturers now have a burgeoning mass market.

While it is no doubt that EVs are the future, carmakers have the power to influence how fast we get to a future dominated by electric vehicles.