Hectic EV Rush Doesn't Hurt Buying Experience

September saw a rush of buyers trying to snap up EVs before federal incentives expired, but the frenetic pace at the dealership didn’t hamper the buying experience. The overall Ease of Purchase score tracked monthly by CDK remained at a solid 89%, the same as the previous month as well as September 2024. 

In recent months, finding the car buyers wanted in stock at the dealership had been increasingly difficult. That number was just 43% in August. And while this stat improved to 48% in September, hovering below 50% is generally subpar. That number was 53% as recently as July and 54% last September. Twice as many buyers (12%) had to visit four or more dealerships to find the car they wanted as well. 

A number of respondents relayed stories of long-distance hunts for their purchase. "I found a car that was exactly what I wanted at a dealership about 100 miles away. I called to ensure that they still had the car, went there, and after some dealing, I bought the car."

Despite these extra efforts, more than three out of four (77%) said finding the car they wanted was easy up from 74% last month. Other parts of the buying experience also improved month over month including taking the test drive (74% from 72%) and taking delivery (79% from 68%). These two categories often fluctuate with the availability of inventory but with so many people having to visit multiple stores, they may have been scheduling test-drive appointments before arriving at the dealership.

Financial steps in the purchase process saw mixed results in September. Applying for credit (70% compared to 64% in August) and agreeing on the value of the trade-in (58% from 53%) both scored in the positive tally. While agreeing on a final price (62% from 63%) and completing the process to secure financing (66% from 68%) fell in the negative camp. 

The mixed results didn’t have much impact on the time it took to finish the process. Those metrics barely moved with most people still finishing in the time they expected (52%), which should be seen as a positive considering the volume of sales in September. Respondents who reported a negative overall experience often cited a longer purchase process while those in the positive camp used terms like "fast," "quick" and "right away."

October might be one of the most unusual in recent memory: A moment in time where the industry can point to the end of EV incentives and see how the entire fleet moves, or doesn’t, off the lots. But if dealers were able to deliver improvements in the ease of purchase during a hectic month, it’d suggest better experiences for customers ahead.