GM may have given Cadillac and Buick dealers an option of exiting their franchises as the brands transition to EVs, but Chevy dealers won't be extended the same luxury. The Verge reports that GM's mainstream brand dealers will not have an out and will be expected to go all-in on EVs.
What's interesting, Chevy's global VP Scott Bell says that the Buick and Cadillac dealers that left the franchise are a win for Chevrolet. While those dealers might have thought they dodged an EV bullet and can go in another direction, GM has a surprise. Those dealers are still going to have to sell EVs. Bell shares that those dealers may end up selling Chevy's EVs. "The minute they pull back and say, 'You know what, I'm not ready to go all in for those brands,' they're now 100 percent a Chevy dealer, which is a good thing for Chevrolet," he said.
Bell also pointed out that he thinks that dealers that have continued to sell the Bolt are saying to GM that they are committing to the brand's EVs. "They've already raised their hand: 'I'm in on the Bolt. They certainly have committed to the Chevy brand." Dealers just need to do what's needed for supporting EVs, which could mean hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars invested into renovations - something a lot of dealers still aren't sold on.