More than one-third of Lincoln dealers say "no thanks" to the brand's electric vehicle future

More than one-third of U.S. Lincoln dealers have pulled out of a certification plan to sell electric vehicles as part of the luxury brand's EV shift, Automotive News reported Friday.

Following the example of parent company Ford, Lincoln told its dealers in October 2022 to either invest in upgrades to sell EVs or walk away from the brand.According to Automotive News, Lincoln currently has about 600, or about 88% of its sales volume 356 of its dealers are committed to this electric vehicle future.

Of the dealers ready to take the plunge into EVs, about 90% are in the nation's top 130 luxury car markets. Each dealer will need to spend about $900,000 on charging equipment, including DC fast chargers and seven Level 2 240-volt AC chargers, and other expenses such as training. Dealers outside this group would need to spend $500,000 for one DC fast charger and four Level 2 chargers.

The 59% of Lincoln dealers who chose to make these investments are less than the two-thirds of Ford dealers who chose the brand's EV program. Lincoln dealers who also have a Ford franchise must invest in both programs to sell both brands of EVs, Automotive News noted.

The reaction of Lincoln dealers is similar to that of rival Cadillac, which also plans to shift to EVs. General Motors has made a takeover offer to Cadillac dealers (and Buick dealers) who are not keen on the EV plan, which also requires investment in charging facilities. About one-third of Cadillac dealers opted to buy rather than sell EVs, and GM hopes to make both Cadillac and Buick all-electric by the end of the decade.

Both Ford and Lincoln have registered their dealers to sell EVs for a specific period of time. Lincoln's first registration period ran through December 15, 2022. Dealers who did not register would not have the opportunity to return to the Lincoln brand until the second registration period began in 2026.

Dealers who did not register must stop selling Lincolns once the Lincoln brand transitions to EVs. Lincoln does not currently sell EVs, but according to Automotive News, the company plans to launch three EVs worldwide by 2025, add a fourth by 2026, and have EVs account for nearly 90% of its North American sales by 2030.