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A bipartisan group of Connecticut officials called Wednesday for Ford Motor Company to pump the brakes on a Friday deadline for dealers nationwide to opt in to costly new sales requirements. of the company’s electric vehicle models.
Lawmakers from both parties and a representative of the Connecticut Automotive Dealers Association objected to the release of Ford’s new Model e Program in a remote press conference.
The program, part of the manufacturer’s recent restructuring, gives auto dealers until Friday to decide whether they will make up to $1.2 million in infrastructure and other investments to qualify as a Model e Certified or Model e Certified Elite dealer with ability to sell electric vehicles.
Although Ford pushed its initial Oct. 31 deadline back to Dec. 2 amid dealer concerns, state lawmakers said Wednesday that the manufacturer’s approach was too aggressive and prompted complaints from dealer franchises throughout Connecticut.
Called by US Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a former state attorney general, called Ford’s treatment of its dealers “egregious” and said it may have violated state and federal law.
“I’m convinced there is a case that needs to be investigated here,” Blumenthal said. “I will take this case to other state authorities including the attorney general, but I think the Federal Trade Commission should also be interested, its franchise rules may also be violated here.”
William Tong, the current attorney general of the state, gave a statement that was read by Rep. Roland Lemar, a New Haven Democrat who chairs the legislature’s Transportation Committee, called on Ford to make sure the burden of new EV infrastructure investments doesn’t just fall on local dealerships.
Ford Motor Company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story.
Several officials at a press conference on Wednesday praised the automaker for its choice to switch to electric vehicle sales. However, they took exception to its decision to level a costly ultimatum to dealers.
Jeff Aiosa, legislative co-chair of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association, said the program as currently drafted looks likely to leave some of Connecticut’s smaller franchise dealers unable to sell electric vehicles because at the cost of entering the market.
“Depending on how big your dealership is, you may not experience a return on investment because it’s a fixed price,” Aiosa said. “One point two million is the same price for a dealer that sells 100 cars a year as against a dealership that sells three or four thousand cars a year. It’s a very difficult program.”
Aiosa isn’t sure how many of Connecticut’s 28 Ford dealerships will choose to participate in the program.
In some ways, the objections expressed Wednesday to Ford’s new program mirror opposition to recent unsuccessful attempts by Tesla and other exclusive electric vehicle manufacturers to make an exception to Connecticut’s requirement. that car companies sell their products through franchised dealerships.
Sen. said. Heather Somers, R-Groton, that Ford is making a blatant attempt to undermine Connecticut franchise dealerships that she said support Connecticut communities through jobs and auto services.
“The amount of investment required for our local dealers is staggering, absolutely staggering,” Somers said. “The timeframe in which they have to read and answer is just embarrassing. This is unacceptable and indeed an improper request.”
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle urged Ford to reconsider.
“I think we’re all going to call on Ford to strongly post this meeting to withdraw these terms and to start this conversation again,” Lemar said. “If they don’t, I can assure them based on what we heard today that there will be repercussions at both the state and federal level.”
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