Colorado auto dealership group opens electric and hybrid vehicle outlet, sees sales increase

Phil Long EV Outlet sold 117 electric and hybrid vehicles from May 2021 to the end of the year and 56 of these vehicles in the first three months of 2022. This is only a small fraction of the total sales of the company. Phil Long dealers in Colorado Springs rank 95th Automotive News‘ list of the top 150 US-based dealer groups, with retail sales of 10,801 new vehicles in 2021. The group sold 12,070 used vehicles last year.

Buckles said Phil Long EV Outlet isn’t just a one-stop shop for customers looking for electric vehicles; it has also become a place where electric vehicle drivers can charge their vehicles for 20 cents per kilowatt hour. The bundle includes 10 EV chargers, including four fast chargers.

Inside the store, those customers — some who find the Chargers via navigation systems and get off nearby I-25 — can grab a drink and relax, Buckles and Shaughnessy said.

“We built it differently than a traditional used car dealership,” Shaughnessy said. “It’s built more like a community lounge. It’s meant to be a place where customers can park their cars, charge them [and] hang out.”

Last month, the store hosted an Earth Day-focused event that Phil Long executives planned to give community members test drives of electric vehicles and more information about charging. The goal was that more information and exposure to electric vehicles could ultimately drive traffic to the store.

Buckles, who also oversees a nearby Kia dealership for the group, said Phil Long EV Outlet had three sales specialists and a sales manager. The service is available at the Kia dealership, he said.

Shaughnessy said he thought the electrical outlet was rare. “We could be the tip of the spear on this,” he said.