NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 425 local franchise new car dealers that are members of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association hosted an Electric Vehicle Ride+Drive event at the Association's Education Center in Whitestone, Queens. The outdoor event was attended by more than 150 people including over 40 legislators, government officials, and policymakers with New York State DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder, representing New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, and New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and GNYADA's Labor Union partners.
New York State DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder discussing the future of electric vehicles said that he is also 'all in' on electrics and working with the auto industry to encourage electric vehicle training and retraining in the State.
The GNYADA Electric Vehicle Ride+Ride event included the Ford Mach-e, Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro, Nissan Leaf, Polestar 1, Polestar 2, Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, Volkswagen ID.4, Chevrolet Bolt and Volvo XC40.
ALL IN: "If the goal is to get millions of consumers into electric vehicles, the single best way is to the leverage the nation's local franchised dealership network and their skilled employees. They are already in place!" said GNYADA president Mark Schienberg.
AT THE HELM: New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie driving an electric vehicle at GNYADA's Electric Vehicle Ride+Drive event. In his remarks the Speaker said that he joined the franchised dealers of greater New York in being "all in" on electrics.
Legislators driving the Electric Vehicle Ride & Drive closed-course track at the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association's Center for Automotive Education & Training in New York City.
The event highlighted 18 electric cars -- that ranged in price from $32,000 to $100,000 and can travel from 100 to more than 300 miles on a single charge -- for the legislators to drive and talk with product specialists about. Its goal was to show off the electric vehicles that are being sold by local new car retailers and bring a wide range of interested groups together to the discuss the tremendous opportunities available in reaching the State's goal of moving to all-electric vehicles by 2035.
"Local franchise new car dealers are the key to mass electric vehicle adoption. We have more than 55 models available in showrooms now and another 50 new models coming in the next two years. There is a great infrastructure in place with hundreds of community-based retailers who are ready to sell, service, and finance electric vehicles today," said GNYADA president Mark Schienberg.
"We staged this event to showcase the incredible vehicles available to consumers at their local franchised new car dealerships across the State and to demystify electric vehicle ownership as state and federal plans move towards an EV future. It is important to remember that as electrics vehicles start to become mainstream, it is local franchised new car dealers who are stepping up to achieve these goals and to help consumers purchase, finance, and service them," said Schienberg.
Local dealerships are excited about EV adoption and have already invested millions of dollars in electric charging infrastructure, new equipment, tools, and in training technicians and salespeople to be experts on electric vehicles.
If the goal is to get millions of consumers into new electric vehicles, the single best way to achieve it is by leveraging the nation's local new car dealership network and their skilled employees. It is franchised new car retailers who are already in place to offer an impressive array of electric vehicle options.
Franchised dealers are all in on electric vehicles.
ABOUT GNYADA: Headquartered in Whitestone, Queens, the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association represents 425 franchised automobile dealerships in metro of New York, generating $39.3 billion in new vehicle sales, $2.4 billion in taxes. The Association opened its doors in 1910 and has continued to serve the needs of the industry and the car-buying public ever since.
GNYADA organizes the New York International Automobile Show – the largest publicly attended auto show in North America – each spring, in Manhattan's Jacob Javits Convention Center. At the next Show in April 2022 the largest and most expansive electric ride and drive will be on display.
SOURCE Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA); New York International Auto Show
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