However, the anonymous vendor noted that the infrastructure assistance provided by Ford programmes is a waste of money for his faraway business because there are few if any public chargers within “several hundred kilometres.”
The vendor also claimed that rural customers who travel to a larger market to purchase an ICE Ford or Lincoln may still get it serviced domestically, but that won’t be possible if Model e Certified dealers are the only ones authorised to service EVs. The vehicle may need to be towed hundreds of kilometres to a licenced vendor for service.
The FRDA’s representative declined to comment on the status of negotiations.
Dealers in three other states have also objected, claiming that the Model e Certified programme breaches franchise laws. Richard Sox, a Florida-based attorney, told Automotive News Canada that he is representing four stores in New York. Although Canadian franchise law requirements differ from those in US states, Sox claimed that the most controversial issues might apply to shops on either side of the border.
Sox reported that the US dealerships opposing the Model e packages claim that the infrastructure funding demanded by Ford much exceeds what is “reasonably necessary” to sell and maintain EVs. The obligation to have an external charger available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week is not only costly, but it also carries the risk of liability in the event of a malfunction or accident.
