Page 57 - BusinessWest November 28, 2022

Gary Rome says customers will become more comfortable with electric cars as they deal with their “range anxiety.”
month in fuel alone.”
About 15% of Rome’s sales are electric vehi-
cles, which he estimated is about three times the national average, with the hottest model being the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which MotorTrend named
“You’ll pay more for an electric vehicle, but if you drive a lot, an electric vehicle pays for itself in short order. The metric is $1.25 per gallon to pay for electricity, versus $4 a gallon. We’ve had people trade in their gas-guzzling pickup truck, and they’re saving hundreds a month in fuel alone.”
the 2023 SUV of the year, among other accolades. “We’re seeing a trend of manufacturers focus-
ing more on electric vehicles than ‘ICE cars’ — internally combusted engines,” he told Business- West, though there’s still some hesitancy among motorists to try one. To that end, Gary Rome Hyundai is one of five dealers in the country offering a subsciption program, allowing custom- ers to rent an electric vehicle for 28 days, includ- ing insurance, to see if it fits their lifestyle.
“The adoption of electric vehicles is all about educating the client, and a lot of folks have range
cles, but I’m not sure what that looks like in other parts of the state or the country. And I think the infrastructure has to be there to make it realistic.”
Gary Rome, who owns a Hyundai dealership in Holyoke and a Kia dealership in Enfield, said he was the first dealer in the U.S. to deliver an electric vehicle from Hyundai, and his electric vehicle (EV) sales are up 38% over last year.
“There’s are state and federal rebates on these vehicles, which make them more attractive,”
he explained. “You’ll pay more for an electric vehicle, but if you drive a lot, an electric vehicle pays for itself in short order. The metric is $1.25 per gallon to pay for electricity, versus $4 a gal- lon. We’ve had people trade in their gas-guzzling pickup truck, and they’re saving hundreds a
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