Just two years from today, you’ll be able to walk into Baylis Stroud and order any type of Vauxhall as an electric car.
Even more surprisingly though, by 2028, electricity will be the only forecourt story in town.
A full two years ahead of the government’s 2030 pledge, Vauxhall will be all volts, selling electric models only. So how does a salesroom prepare for such change?
When I booked the Stroud Times electric Mokka in for its first service (8,000 miles – where did that go?), this was a question I was keen to settle.
From his desk in the immaculate Westward Road showroom, Sales Consultant Paul Mole is well aware of the epic scale of this shift and the challenge it poses for everyone. Like so many of us, Paul grew up with a passion for hot hatches and cars that quicken the pulse.
“It’s the reason I love Vauxhall, the brand is in my blood!” he laughs.
But he’s been on something of a journey, he adds, into the world of EV motoring.
“I’ve been driving the Mokka-e on a daily basis and, as so many people find when they get the actual hands-on experience, it can be both thrilling and practical. I’ll admit I’m a convert, seeing as the Mokka-e is so peaceful to drive out there in the cut-and-thrust of traffic, while it also has masses of refreshing zoom when you want it.”
Alongside the new Grandland Plug-in HYBRID-e, Baylis currently sells both Corsa and Mokka models in pure electric form and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the all-new Astra, which will share the Mokka’s head-turning ‘Vizor’ styling and be available as a petrol-electric hybrid model.
Like many models across the industry, the arrival of the all-new Astra has been set back by the global semiconductor crisis, but when it comes on stream, the dealership has the bunting ready.
Paul believes the Astra’s imminent arrival will be a case of right-product, right-time: “Smart hybrid cars like the Grandland HYBRID-e and Astra HYRBID-e offer all the practical advantages of combustion but because you can travel up to 35 miles on pure electric power, they offer great savings on running costs and are essentially the best of both worlds.”
Consumer trends certainly suggest the appetite for electric motoring is growing quickly, but hybrid choices remain dominant: across the UK last year, a total of 1.65 million new cars entered the UK market during 2021, with petrol and hybrid petrol cars making up 58.3 per cent of sales, while diesels and mild-hybrid diesels grabbed a further 14.2 per cent of the sales pie.
As the infrastructure for charging rapidly increases, Paul is convinced that the steady stream of interest in EV models offered by Baylis will rapidly gather pace. Collecting the keys from my freshly serviced Mokka – and keen as ever to get back out on the road – I can only agree.
For full details of Vauxhall’s sensational new Mokka range, including the all-electric e, call Baylis Stroud direct on 01453 765522 or visit the dealer online here.
