spike in demand for EVs as federal tax credits were about to expire this fall. Nationally, according to Kelly Blue Book, September 2024 saw a record surge in EV purchases before the $ 7,500 federal tax credit sunset, with EVs averaging $ 58,124, well above the typical new car price.

Once the incentives evaporated, demand cooled, showing that affordability and infrastructure are still barriers. Charging stations are not yet as ubiquitous as gas stations, and perhaps they never will be, but infrastructure is expanding to meet the gradual shift.

Area dealers are preparing.“ We have the infrastructure,” says Haddad, whose dealerships include the hybrid pioneer Toyota. He believes customers will decide when they’ re ready. That market-driven rather than mandate-driven approach resonates in a region where a substantial percentage of workers drive alone to their jobs and where rural distances, winter temperatures, and limited charging infrastructure create practical

barriers to EV adoption.

Sport utility vehicles( SUVs), crossovers, and pickup trucks continue to dominate in the Berkshires, representing nearly twothirds of new sales. Traditional sedans are fading, now just 15 percent of new purchases. These choices reflect the practical needs of Berkshire life: winter weather, rural roads, and outdoor lifestyles.

The region’ s average vehicle age is 11.7 years, newer than the national average of 12.2, indicating regular turnover and maintenance. With public transportation usage below 2 percent, reliable personal vehicles aren’ t optional luxuries but essential infrastructure for daily life.

Service departments play a critical role in maintaining dealer and customer relationships, which often deepen over years of oil changes, inspections, and repairs. The service department functions as the connective tissue in the buying cycle, keeping customers engaged with the dealership and brand during the years between vehicle purchases. For family-owned

dealerships, this creates opportunities: the customer who brings their Toyota in for service learns about new models, mentions their college-aged child needs a first car, remembers the dealership when their aging parent needs something easier to enter and exit.

Looking Down the Road

Area dealers expect continued investment in their showrooms and service facilities, with manufacturers requiring upgrades that push smaller operators to modernize or exit. Physical expansions, though costly, can be competitive advantages.

There are community concerns, too, about traffic and land use as the“ Auto Quarter Mile” grows. Dealers who live in the region they serve must balance business needs with community impact. Locally owned operators navigate these concerns differently than corporate entities might, engaging with their neighbors and living in the communities where

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