Ford Motor Co.'s move to split its legacy internal combustion engine and growing electric-vehicle businesses into separate units means drastic changes for its network of some 3,000 U.S. dealers — changes that are prompting both concern and optimism as both sides begin to hammer out details.
In the coming months, the Dearborn automaker says it will work closely with dealer committees and the Ford National Dealer Council, as well as embark on a market-by-market tour, to draft a new set of standards giving dealers the choice to decide whether they want to be EV-certified as Ford targets annual production of 2 million EVs globally by 2026.
Specifics remain under discussion. Still, the transition for those who do opt-in will mean investments in facility upgrades and employee training; changes in the ways dealerships interact with customers as Ford embraces a more digital and remote shopping, buying and service experience; and expertise in a new portfolio of vehicles with major differences from their combustion engine counterparts.
