VW Launches Online Leasing of EV Models in Germany & More News Here – Upjobsnews

Volkswagen is taking yet another page from Tesla’s book, with the launch of direct leasing and the planned start of online sales in Germany. The automaker is offering the ID.4 and the ID.5 to lessees, with plans to add the ID.3 hatchback to the menu and begin direct sales in Germany and other European countries.

With this step, which is limited to electric models for now, Wolfsburg does not intend to do away with the dealership model in Germany and elsewhere, planning to use dealers for test drives, technical service, and vehicle delivery. But the ordering process is certainly shifting to an online interface, at least for electric models.

“Surveys show that around two-thirds of our customers also want to be able to purchase our vehicles online. We’re now addressing that wish,” said Klaus Zellmer, member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management responsible for sales, marketing and after sales. “Our mission is to give our customers an excellent offering and buying experience both at dealerships and online. As a result, we’ll also strengthen our competitiveness lastingly.”

Volkswagen begins its experiment at a time when EV production and sales are finally surging for the automaker, with the VW Group having seen deliveries of battery-electric vehicles grow 65% in the first quarter, compared to 2021. The tally from the start of the year through the end of March came out to 99,100 battery-electric vehicles spanning several brands, including Audi, Porsche, and Skoda. Almost 60% of those sales, or 58,400 battery-electric vehicles, were delivered in Europe, and VW is betting those shopping for EVs will also be open to leasing or buying vehicles online from the automaker, rather than from a dealer.

“Online sales will not replace the brick-and-mortar dealership,” Zellmer added. “We need a good online presence coupled with a strong and powerful local presence provided by our dealers. Dealers are and will remain the face to our customers. They are indispensable when it comes to providing personal, competent advice.”

While dealerships themselves are not going away in Volkswagen’s case, this does appear to launch a dual sales model, at least in Europe. With VW planning for EVs to dominate its lineup by the end of the decade, it follows that most of its offerings will also be available to buy online soon, perhaps even sight unseen, as is now the norm for some EV buyers who place deposits on cars that aren’t even in production yet. VW dealers will handle the delivery and the service, but those comfortable with ordering other large and expensive items online could take the step to leasing or buying an EV as well.

VW has no plans at the moment to adopt this leasing and sales model in the US, but other automakers like Volvo are heading in the same direction with subscription services.

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