Vertu Motors' Bristol Street Motors Darlington Nissan dealership has become one of the first dealerships in the UK to achieve Electric Vehicle Approved status (EVA).

The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) scheme is endorsed by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the Energy Saving Trust (EST).

To achieve the accreditation, the Bristol Street Motors site had to enrol all its colleagues on an EV awareness training course, which is tailored to their role within the business.

They must also show a solid understanding of all electric and hybrid model variants.

Aftersales and technical colleagues have also received comprehensive training, with the latter undergoing official EV maintenance and repair training.

Lee Stewart, general sales manager, who is the on-site EV ambassador (pictured), said: “The demand for electric vehicles is growing, and the technology is different from a petrol or diesel car and customers are often uncertain as to what is the best option for them.

“Customers can be re-assured that at Bristol Street Motors Darlington Nissan they will receive the very best advice and support when buying an electric vehicle.”

Areas in which colleagues need to demonstrate their knowledge include:

  • How to find a public charging point
  • Who to contact to have a home charger installed
  • How to charge an EV
  • Driving modes and their impacts
  • Realistic electric driving range and fuel consumption for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV)
  • EV features and their impacts on performance
  • How the onboard battery systems work
  • How best to maintain an EV and its battery?
  • Guidance on servicing and maintenance of an EV

Sue Robinson, NFDA Director, said: “The long-term goal is to gain EVA membership across all EV selling retailers and to build trust between them and their customers.  The EVA accreditation will give consumers the confidence that they are dealing with electric vehicle experts.”

The NFDA launched its EVA scheme at Automotive Management Live 2018 as a pilot phase, lasting from November 2018 to February 2019. It then officailly launched in May this year.

It reached  a key milestone in November, having 50 dealerships which have been ‘EV approved’, meaning their ‘EVA badge’ can be displayed.