>> IT'S A PLEASURE HAVING YOU JOIN US AT WCNY BECAUSE I'M A BIT OF A CAR NUT SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A FUN INTERVIEW FOR ME.

WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT... >> THIS IS A TOUGH JOB YOU ARE PUTTING ME ON RIGHT HERE DAN, BECAUSE THIS IS TOUGH BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO TALK A LOT ABOUT THE ELECTRIC THAT IS ALL NEW TO ALL OF US.

>> EXACTLY.

CLEARLY YOU HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY IN THIS BUSINESS.

YOU HAVE SEEN IT ALL.

YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND A WHILE.

>> 48 YEARS DAN.

>> OKAY.

>> STARTED AT 14.

>> A LOT OF TRENDS COME AND GO.

EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE SOME OF THE COLORS OF THE CAR, YOU CAN DATE TO THE SIXTH TO THE 70s, WHATEVER.

LET'S TALK ABOUT A TREND THE REASON YOU ARE HERE, OF COURSE, IS THE MOVE, A LOT OF TALK, A LOT OF ATTENTION, THE MOVE TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES EV.

>> IT'S TOTALLY A WHOLE NEW THING WITH US.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE ARE SEEING MANY MANUFACTURERS TAKE IT A DIFFERENT WAY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BRANDS THAT I HOST, I HAVE SIX BRANDS AND VEHICLES AND IRONICALLY WHEN IT CRUMBS TO CHRYSLER, THE HORNET COMING OUT IS AN ELECTRIC CAR BUT IT'S NOT HERE YET.

HONDA, WE HAD THE CLARITY, CLARITY WAS THREE YEARS AGO.

HONDA, YOU KNOW, THE JAPANESE DO A GREAT JOB WITH CARS.

THEY'RE USUALLY WAY, WAY ABOVE THEIR SCHEDULE.

AND IRONICALLY THE CLARITY IS NOT, WE CAN'T ORDER AN ELECTRIC CAR.

FORD.

FORD IS THE INNOVATOR HAS COME OUT WITH A LIGHTNING... >> YOU WOULD HAVE TO AGREE-- A GAME CHANGER IN THE INDUSTRY WAS TESLA BECAUSE DIDN'T THEY REALLY MAINSTREAM THE WHOLE ELECTRIC CAR IDEA?

>> IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE CHASED TESLA.

IS IT THE RIGHT WAY?

WELL,WE'VE SEEN MANY THINGS IN TECHNOLOGY.

YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN G.M.

HAD THE AURORA, IT WAS A WHOLE NEW THING.

YOU HAD TO HAVE YOUR OWN SCHEDULE.

YOUR OWN FRANCHISE WITH AURORA.

YOU COULDN'T JUST BE A CHEVY DEALER.

YOU HAD TO BE AN ERROR DEALER AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A REALLY BIG PUSH FOR THE ELECTRIC CARS.

MANY FRANCHISERS ARE TAKING IT REALLY STRONG.

IT SEEMS LIKE SOME, DAN, ARE KIND OF SLOWING DOWN RIGHT NOW.

>> I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.

BUT I MEAN AND I SAY THIS NOT TO BE FUNNY.

YOU WOULD SELL ME ANYTHING.

YOU ARE AGNOSTIC.

>> WE ARE CAR DEALERS.

WE HAVE TO.

IF I BOUGHT EVERY CAR THAT I JUST LIKED, HECK, I WOULD MISS A LOST MARKET SO I HAVE TO TOUCH EVERYTHING.

>> MY POINT IS THEN GIVE ME THE SELLING POINTS, IF YOU WILL, THE PROs, THE POSITIVES OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES AS YOU SEE SNEM.

>> THE REBATES.

SOME OF THE REBATES.

>> THE INCENTIVES.

>> 7500.

WE CAN TAKE $15,000 OFF OF SOME OF THESE UNITS.

SO SOME OF THE INCENTIVES YOU GET THE INCENTIVE QUICKLY, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU IN FACT GO TO LEASE A CAR, IT'S $7500 RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.

IF YOU DON'T LEASE THE CAR, WELL THEN YOU TAKE THE TAX CREDIT OF $7500.

BUT SOME OF THE REBATES AND PROGRAMS.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IN THE VERY BEGINNING, DAN, WHEN THE LIGHTNING TRUCK FIRST CAME OUT WE WOULD SEE THEM AT AUCTION AND GENERALLY WE WOULD WATCH A MAN HIGH MARKET REPORT.

THEY WERE DOING 20 AND $30,000 OVER STICKER.

THE HUMMER H-3, THE NEW HUMMER, $60,000 OVER STICKER AND NOW IT'S COMING BACK.

>> DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE WHOLE OVER STICKER THING.

>> IT'S CRAZY.

I HATE IT.

WE NEVER SOLD A CAR OVER STICKER IN OUR LIFE.

>> THAT WAS A POST-COVID EVENT WAS IT NOT?

>> WE ARE STILL LIVING THAT.

IT'S NOT RIGHT.

AT FXC RA BRERRA, WE HAVE NEVER DONE THAT.

I JUST SOLD A DEMON.

I WILL SAY WITH THE ELECTRIC STUFF IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS STARTING TO SIMMER BACK A LITTLE BIT.

>> I'M GOING TO LOSE YOU ON THIS INTERVIEW, I KNOW IT.

BUT OTHER POSITIVES HAS TO BE FUEL SAVINGS.

YOU ARE NOT PUTTING GAS IN THE CAR.

>> FUEL SAVINGS.

I LIKE ELECTRIC IF YOU LIVE IN A CITY, YOU DRIVE TO WORK, IT'S CONVENIENT.

SOME OF THE-- THE INCENTIVES, THE CONVENIENCE, NO FUMES, IT SEEMS LIKE THE HEATERS NOW EVERYTHING IS RUNNING OFF ELECTRIC, THE HEAT SEEMS TO COME A LOT FAFTER THAN WAITING FOR... >> NICE IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.

>> SO THE HEATING FASTER BUT OVERALL, I THINK IT'S A TOUGH-- I'M ABOLD SCHOOL CAR GUY.

I LIKE-- I'M A MOTOR HEAD GUY SO I STILL LIKE THE GAS.

>> WELL, OKAY, BUT WE MAY AGREE ON THAT.

I'M NOT THERE YET, FULL DISCLOSURE.

I LIKE TO BURN FUEL BUT THE FEW PEOPLE THAT I KNOW WHO HAVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THEY REALLY SEEM TO LIKE THEM.

I MEAN-- >> I THINK THE RELIABILITY IS GOOD.

OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NOT A LOT OF COMPONENTS THAT COME INTO PLAY WITH IT BUT WHEN YOU THINK OF THE COMPONENTS WE ARE GOING TO GIVE UP AT MANY OF OUR STORES, WE HAVE MASTER TECHNICIANS.

HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITH THEM?

>> I'M GOING ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.

>> BECAUSE NOW YOU ARE LIMITED TO OIL CHANGES.

YOU ARE LIMITED TO BRAKES.

WILL CHANGE A BATTERY, YES?

BUT ARE YOU CHANGING WATER PUMPS OR FUEL INJECTORS.

>> THAT'S A POSITIVE FOR THE EVS BUT NOT THE EMPLOYMENT.

>> WE HAVE TO EMPLOY PEOPLE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVES.

I'VE SIGN A NUMBER OF REPORTS FROM CONSUMER REPORTS-- >> YOU ARE PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT NOW.

JUST KIDDING.

>> REPORTS SAYING, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING CONSUMERS TO REALLY DO SOME HOME WORK THOUGH BEFORE BUYING ELECTRIC VEHICLES BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS THERE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

>> GO ON VACATION.

GO TO FLORIDA.

OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE GOING TO STOP PROBABLY AT LEAST FIVE TIMES ON THE WAY.

YOU HAVE TO-- SOME OF THE FULL CHARGERS COULD TAKE UP TO TWO HOURS.

>> THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE REFERRING TO, I LOVE THE PHRASE CHARGER ANXIETY.

I MEAN QUITE FRANKLY AND AGAIN-- >> I GET IT.

>> BUT I WOULD BE RELUCTANT IF I HAD AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, I WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO DRIVE FROM CENTRAL NEW YORK TO OHIO.

BY THE WAY I'VE NEVER DRIVEN TO OI.

I'M NOT GOING TO BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, WHERE AM I GOING CHARGE THAT THING UP?

I THINK THE INFRASTRUCTURE HASN'T CAUGHT UP WITH THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES OUT THERE.

WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT.

>> THAT IS THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT AND THAT'S WHAT THE BIG IS TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE PUBLIC IS TALKING ABOUT.

THE CART IS IN FRONT OF THE HORSE.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE HIT BEFORE THE MANUFACTURERS.

GO BACK A SECOND TO THE IDEA OF SERVICING AGAIN.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE SERVICING ASPECTS TO AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE... >> MINIMAL.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WHEN YOU DRIVE AN ELECTRIC CAR AND IF YOU DRIVEN ONE, YOU WILL NOTICE, WHEN YOU LET OFF THE GAS, IT'S LIKE HAVING A JAKE BRAKE IN A LOT OF CASES.

NOT AS SMOOTH AS A TRANSITION.

WHEN YOU DRIVE A GOLF CART AND LET OFF THE GAS, IT SLOWS IT DOWN.

WILL YOU WEAR YOUR BRAKES OUT AS FAST?

PROBABLY NOT.

THE SERVICE LEVEL OF IT, I MEAN I THINK IT'S SO MINIMAL.

BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE OF OUR DEALERSHIPS.

WE HAVE DEPARTMENTS.

WE HAVE SALES.

WE HAVE PARTS.

WE HAVE SERVICE.

WE HAVE BODY SHOP.

WE HAVE ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS AND THEY ALL HAVE TO FINANCIALLY BE SUCCESSFUL.

SO WHAT DO YOU DO?

HOW DO YOU ATTRACT A GOOD TECHNICIAN THAT SPENT HALF HIS LIFE TO MAKE GOOD MONEY?

>> THAT'S YOUR ISSUE, RIGHT?

I'M JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE CONSUMER SIDE AND SAY WELL, IF I BUY AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, THEORETICALLY IS GOING TO BE CHEAPER TO MAINTAIN AND RUN.

I DON'T HAVE THE SERVICING ISSUES AND YOU ARE AGREEING WITH ME ON THAT.

>> I'M ALSO HEARING A TESLA BATTERY SYSTEM IS $27,000.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I COULD GO ALL DAY WITH YOU.

LET'S WRAP UP.

>> SORRY ABOUT THAT.

>> I LOVE IT.

BUT THE OVERALL SALES FROM WHAT I'M SEEING SO FAR, YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE ROAD TODAY, ABOUT 1%, BUT THEY'RE ABOUT 5 OR 6% OF SALES.

BLOOMBERG AND OTHERS ARE TELLING ME THAT, YOU HIT THAT 5% SALES THRESHOLD, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PIVOTING POINT WHERE THE MOMENTUM IS BUILT.

YOU ARE SHAKING YOUR HEAD.

>> I'M SAYING NO BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW, YOU GO TALK TO THE AVERAGE AMERICAN TODAY AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY THERE IS NO INFRASTRUCTURE.

I HAVE HEARD FROM-- >> IN YOUR OPINION, IS THAT THE KEY TO THIS THEN?

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT.

>> LET ME GET IT RIGHT.

IF WE HAD CHARGING STATIONS TO THE DEGREE THAT WE HAVE GAS STATIONS WOULD THAT CHANGE?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

WHAT IT COMES TO MAJOR CHANGE LIKE THIS, IT'S TOUGH.

I WILL SAY IN THE CLOSE OF THIS, IF YOU LIVE IN A CITY AND YOU WORK CLOSE, FIVE MILES AWAY OR EIGHT MILES AWAY, IT'S PROBABLY A GREAT THING.

BUT THE PRIUS OR SOME OF THE NEW CARS OUT THERE TODAY, HYBRIDS, I'M ALL OVER A HYBRID.

I LIKE IT WHERE I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.

I CAN CHANGE EITHER WAY.

I'M DRIVING ONE TODAY.

>> SO YOUR ANSWER IS LEAST FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, THE HYBRID IS THE WAY TO GO.

>> A34E7B.

I WOULD KILL IT AT THAT.

WE ALL WANT THE OPPORTUNITY.

WE DON'T WANT TO TOTALLY RUN OUT OF ELECTRIC.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE FAMILY FIGHTS BECAUSE SOMEONE DIDN'T CHARGE THE CAR.

THEY UNPLUGGED THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

WHATEVER IT MAY BE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T CHARGE THE CAR.

OH MY GOSH, I'M ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

>> WE HAVE TO DO A CAR SHOW YOU AND I. I APPRECIATE THIS.

WE WANT TO TALK A LITTLE ON EVs WHERE THEY'RE HEADED INTO THE FUTURE.

I GUESS MY TAKEAWAY IS A LITTLE UNKNOWN BUT YOUR BEST ADVICE IS HYBRIDS AT THIS POINT.

>> I THINK HYBRID IS THE WAY TO GO TOY POINT AS WE HAVE NOT BEEN