Our new regular columnist Matt Cleevely kicks off his EV feature on how he got into EVs in the first place.
With 27 years of experience under my belt, I’ve seen the automotive industry evolve from points and condensers to the rise of electronic ignition and diagnostics. But it was the dawn of electric vehicles that truly piqued my curiosity and sparked a new chapter for our family business.
Eager to learn more about the emerging technology, I headed for the main dealers with the ambition to buy my first EV. What better way to learn than through ownership? What I didn’t expect was the awful service. The dealers didn’t have a clue and had no appetite to sell an EV. Their lack of enthusiasm fuelled my eagerness to dig deeper. I rented a Tesla Model S and experienced the new automotive era for first time. It didn’t take me long to realise that EVs were going to be something that we’d need to understand.
We established Cleevely EV in 2018 to promote the benefits of EV ownership because the dealers weren’t. We were still running Cleevely Motors, so we got a couple of EV courtesy cars. We invested in training, equipment, and infrastructure, expanding into larger premises to accommodate the demand we were quickly cultivating.
One of our key strategies was community engagement. We actively participated in EV groups, becoming trusted advisors within enthusiast circles. By positioning ourselves as knowledgeable and passionate advocates, we earned the trust of EV owners and attracted customers from far and wide.
Our efforts didn’t go unnoticed. We became the go-to repairer for Tesla owners, earned accolades within the EV community, and saw a significant uptake in EV servicing. The numbers spoke volumes – our EV work matched diesel and petrol repairs, with impressive customer satisfaction and profitability.
There was one big problem though. Nobody was selling EV parts. After more digging, I sourced a supplier and established our own parts department.
I share our story not to boast, but as evidence to the potential EVs have for independents. I urge you to carefully consider the EV opportunity. It’s not just the future, it’s the present.
For more from this series of articles, click here.
