The EV customer journey has significantly changed through the growth of online engagement and the arrival of electric vehicles, and with it the role of the dealer.
Nathan Tomlinson, managing director of Devonshire Motors, once sold lots of PHEVs for Mitsubishi and now sells EVs for Hyundai, and he notes that fundamental considerations feature much earlier in the customer journey.
“With ICE, customers would typically arrive comparing cars or even the same car again, but newer. With EV, many are still deciding whether the technology fits them at all.”
EV decisions start earlier
Dealers are now required to guide customers through unfamiliar decisions around charging, range, running costs and everyday usability.
Tomlinson says that this makes the process more about reducing uncertainty than driving urgency, requiring patience and a deeper level of expertise than traditional ICE transactions.
The wider ownership experience, with questions around home charging, long-distance travel, battery life and real-world running costs, dominates early conversations.
More digital, more research
Wayland’s marketing director Vicky Hart places this in the context of a broader shift in consumer behaviour. She argues that the EV journey is “fundamentally more exploratory, education-led and digitally influenced”, with customers engaging across multiple sources before contacting a retailer. These include OEM content, independent reviews, utility providers and even local authority guidance.
“This means that the ‘moment of truth’ has shifted earlier in the funnel,” she says. “By the time a customer contacts a retailer, their expectations for clarity, transparency and expertise are significantly higher.” For Waylands, that has required a rethinking of both channel strategy and internal capability.
Engagement now starts earlier and extends beyond traditional marketing into education-led content, partnerships and digital tools. At the same time, Hart emphasises the importance of maintaining a seamless connection between online research and the in-showroom experience.
Human touch still matters
Julia Greenhough, marketing director at TrustFord, adds that, despite the growth of digital channels, the human element remains critical and notes that while customers may begin their journey online, many still want direct interaction before committing. “Most customers still really value a conversation with a sales colleague either by phone or on site as they get closer to making their final decision,” she says.
That insight has shaped TrustFord’s approach, particularly around test drives. Extended or accompanied experiences are used to build confidence and allow customers to understand how EV ownership fits into their daily lives.
Internal readiness is also a key factor. Greenhough highlights that building EV confidence within the workforce is a prerequisite for convincing customers. Initiatives such as internal EV trials and accreditation programmes have been used to ensure staff can speak with authority and authenticity.
Building trust before sale
To convert interest into intent Tomlinson advocates a low-pressure approach built around familiarity and trust and points to Devonshire Motors’ investment in EV-focused events that are deliberately positioned as informal and non-transactional.
“They are no-obligation opportunities for customers to ask questions, drive EVs and experience multiple models without feeling they have to buy there and then,” he says.
The aim is to engage customers before they are ready to transact and to establish a relationship that can be activated later. He argues that this approach acknowledges the longer decision cycle and the importance of trust when the customer eventually moves to purchase.
That philosophy extends into aftersales. A fully electric courtesy fleet allows customers to experience EV driving in a normal context. For Tomlinson, this kind of exposure is often more persuasive than a traditional sales interaction because it removes pressure and demonstrates real-world usability.
Tools reduce EV uncertainty
At Luscombe Motors, managing director Sam Luscombe takes a similarly pragmatic view but focuses on digital touchpoints. He argues that tactics which reduce uncertainty rather than push offers can move customers from curiosity to confidence more effectively.
“Education-led landing pages covering charging, real-world range and cost versus petrol work better at this stage than tactical or feature-stuffed demand-building content,” he says.
Tools such as range calculators and cost-of-ownership comparisons can play a central role in this strategy, helping customers translate abstract concerns into concrete understanding.
Hart emphasises the importance of combining tools with targeted messaging. Waylands’ interactive tools are paired with scenario-based campaigns that reflect real customer use cases, shifting the focus from product specifications to lifestyle fit, helping customers visualise how an EV integrates into their daily routines.
She also highlights the role of data in refining this approach. By linking CRM systems with behavioural insights, Waylands can track how customers engage with content and tools, identify where they disengage and adjust messaging accordingly. This creates a feedback loop that allows marketing and sales teams to respond quickly to emerging concerns or misconceptions.
Importantly, this is not a one-way process. Frontline teams also feed insights back into marketing, ensuring that customer questions and objections are addressed in real time.
Content drives early engagement
The shift to earlier engagement has elevated the role of content, particularly video and social media.
Luscombe sees these channels as the new starting point. Dealer-led content, he argues, allows retailers to enter the research phase earlier than ever before although he admits that executing it effectively remains a challenge.
Hart agrees, describing a transition from campaign-led marketing to ‘always-on’ content ecosystems. “Customers are often forming brand perceptions, shortlisting vehicles and even selecting their preferred retailer before any direct interaction,” she says. In this context, content is not simply supportive but foundational.
For Waylands, this means prioritising credibility and consistency over reach alone. The most effective content, Hart says, is often practical and question-led, addressing specific ownership concerns in an accessible way.
Greenhough highlights the breadth of content used to attract prospective EV buyers. TrustFord combines price-led advertising with colleague-generated material and third-party collaborations. Influencer partnerships also help to reach audiences who may not engage with traditional automotive channels.
Measuring EV engagement
Measuring the impact of this activity, however, is less straightforward. Traditional attribution models struggle to capture the influence of multiple touchpoints across a long decision cycle and Hart notes that this requires a move beyond last-click metrics towards a more holistic view of engagement.
“We’re placing greater weight on engagement depth and behavioural signals,” she says, pointing to metrics such as time spent with content, repeat interactions and progression to high-intent actions. By connecting these signals with CRM data, retailers can assess not just lead volume but also lead quality, including conversion rates and lifetime value.
Luscombe echoes this challenge. He believes video views and social engagement form part of the picture, although not a complete answer, focussing more on downstream indicators.
One thing is for sure, customers who engage with educational content tend to arrive better informed and more confident and are therefore more likely to convert.
Blending digital and real world
While digital channels dominate early engagement, physical experiences remain critical for many. Tomlinson here argues that EVs are inherently experiential and that dealers must find ways to demonstrate their benefits in real-world contexts.
Bespoke events, local engagement and practical exposure can all play a role here. He suggests that experiences outside the traditional showroom environment can often be more persuasive because they feel more relevant to everyday life.
Hart agrees on the importance of off-site activations in reaching new audiences with county shows, corporate visits and local events allowing dealers to engage with consumers in a low-pressure environment for exploration and discussion.
She also notes their value in addressing specific concerns, particularly in rural areas where charging infrastructure may be a barrier. By meeting customers in familiar environments, dealers can accelerate understanding and build confidence more effectively than through advertising alone.
TrustFord’s activities range from small-scale product placements to large public shows, with each designed to meet customers at different stages of their journey.
“The main difference is the level of planning involved,” Greenhough says. “Customers entering a showroom are usually further into the transactional mode, while at events we need to be ready to engage at an earlier point in the visitor’s curiosity.”
Short term sales, long term shift
So does all this activity deliver measurable returns or represent a longer-term investment in market development?
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At first it was about the future, now it’s both,” Tomlinson says. EV marketing is increasingly generating short-term enquiries and sales, but it also continues to play a role in building future demand.
He points to improving domestic economics as a key driver. As running costs become more favourable and easier to understand, EVs move from theoretical consideration to practical choice. This shift supports both immediate conversion and longer-term adoption.
Hart takes a similarly balanced view. Certain tactics, particularly targeted digital campaigns and event-driven follow-up, deliver measurable short-term results. Customers who engage deeply with tools or attend events are more likely to convert and often do so more quickly even though EV adoption remains a considered decision for many customers.
“We’re measuring success not just in immediate sales, but in metrics like audience growth, repeat engagement and progression through the funnel over months rather than weeks,” she says.
This dual perspective reflects the broader transition taking place in the market. EV retail is moving from a supply-driven phase to one defined by engagement, education and trust.
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