Is Your Car Dealership WLTP Ready?

On the 1^st of September, the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) is due to take effect, and many car dealers are still unaware of exactly what it is or how it is going to impact their vehicle sales.

A recent sentiment survey conducted by Manheim revealed that 14% of dealers do not know what WLTP is, despite its implementation being imminent.

Philip Nothard, Head of External Relations for Manheim’s parent company, Cox Automotive, has said “As we get ever closer to WLTP being implemented, having one in ten dealers admitting to not knowing what WLTP is, frankly is quite shocking.

“When this new revelation is added to our previous dealer sentiment survey finding that a third of dealers were not aware of when WLTP comes into force, it demonstrates in quite stark terms the amount of confusion and ambiguity that still exists around WLTP.

“These dealer concerns along with the lack of awareness and uncertainty that still exists should be deeply concerning to the industry as WLTP gets closer to being implemented.”

What Is WLTP?

For anyone still in the dark about it, WLTP is going to replace NEDC tests. The reason for this is that it has come to light that fuel economy and emissions figures produced by the current testing methods are not an accurate representation and with WLTP, the numbers will be more realistic.

What Does This Mean?

Unfortunately, this means that the CO2 emissions produced by vehicles have been underestimated and figures are going to rise by about 10% on average. From the 1^st of September 2018, existing models on sale will need to be retested under the new criteria.

How Will This Affect Your Dealership?

The change to WLTP testing is likely to affect the popularity of certain vehicles, as drivers are going to want to avoid significant CO2 and BIK surges. You may therefore want to rethink your stock choices and keep an eye on trends in consumer behaviour after the WLTP deadline.

More than half of dealers have pre-registered stock this month in the hopes of avoiding issues caused by the change and many have been attempting to shift as much stock as possible before the deadline.

If you would like to find out more about how Click Dealer can help you manage stock, get in touch today on 01782 478220, or by emailing marketing@clickdealer.co.uk, or via our contact page.