Maryland Automobile Dealers Association

7 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 6 anything to sell.” He explains that the only available EVs up to now have been 4-door sedans, not a popular option in a market leaning towards crossover SUVs and pickup trucks. “The F-150 is the number one selling vehicle in the United States for the last 20 years. The F-150 Lightning which is 100% electric, has 150,000 reservations now. GM is coming out with two electric pickups, there’s already three or four SUVs. So, the point is, we now have something that we can actually sell to people, and the range has gotten dramatically better. You can get up to 300 miles on a charge.” Bringing back the Baltimore Auto Show in 2022 was a success, and also a hopeful sign of a return to more normal times. As things continue to move in this direction, MADA members and consumers will see a wide range of electric vehicle options coming to market – from the previously mentioned F-150 Lightning, to the revived GMC Hummer, to more mainstream options from Toyota. “It is going to be interesting to see how the customers react,” says Kitzmiller. “From what I’ve seen so far, I think it’s been very encouraging. I think we’ve got all the people now that want to drive an electric car because it’s cool, or they want to be the first one on the block, or because of environmental consciousness. Now we’re getting to the second step. We are going to have to start selling these vehicles on their merits, and I think we’ve got a pretty good product to sell.” As for what the future holds, he offers, “In the next couple of years, with all the new product that’s coming out, you are going to see some pretty amazing things. Everybody wants to complicate the automobile business with all these factors, but at the end of the day, it’s product. A product that people are excited about, that’s what drives our business.”