The new Audi e-Tron was revealed as a new electric crossover from this brand to give us something more that we can drive from this brand.
When this vehicle was brought to the stage to let us have a look at it, the Audi team informed us that the order books were open and we could choose one online that we want to drive. If you thought that Audi would eventually offer these vehicles at dealers, you’d be wrong, the e-Tron is only going to be offered as a vehicle that you can order online rather than forcing dealers to keep these vehicles in stock.
An Answer to Inventory and Electric Vehicle Challenges for the Audi e-Tron
The challenge for electric vehicles right now is the fact that this part of the market only sells in small numbers compared to the rest of the market. Most dealerships might only see a few of the e-Tron models sold each year, which means they would take up valuable space on the lot where faster moving models could be waiting to be sold. Instead, Audi is making this vehicle available as an online order model that you can have the way you want.
The Audi e-Tron Isn’t the First Vehicle You Have to Order
You might not be used to Audi offering models as online ordering vehicles, but the fact is, there haven’t been many that are in the same category as the new e-Tron. Most electric vehicles aren’t expected to turn a profit for the brand name, but if the car is ordered and then built, then it has a chance to be a profitable vehicle and one that dealers don’t have to hold in stock. While you might have to wait to have the e-Tron, if you’re serious about an EV crossover, this could be the right one to drive.
Audi Isn’t Turning its Back, Just a Page
The dealership network of Audi is an important part of the business for the brand and by keeping the e-Tron as an order only model, Audi is protecting the interests of these dealerships. Other brands might take a note from Audi in the future and have the slower selling EV models offered as order only models that can take a while to arrive to a customer, but still, offer a profit for the brand to enjoy rather than being sold at a loss.
Will Other Brands Follow this Example?
When you shop for a vehicle, you want to have one that you can drive and test. As long as every dealership can have at least one model to drive, and the wait time for the vehicle to arrive isn’t unrealistic, you can see how more models could become online only orders. Unfortunately, most of us don’t want to wait fora vehicle to arrive in order to be able to drive it. The Audi e-Tron is a unique model that can be profitable for Audi as one that’s sold and enjoyed when ordered online.
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