“It is concerning to see that a third of dealers remain unaware of the upcoming Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) which comes into effect on 1 Septemberâ€, said Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), commenting on the Manheim’s survey, which indicates 61% of dealers are not up-to-speed with the timetable for the roll out and are unclear on what the new testing means for new cars after the deadline.
WLTP will come into full effect for all new car registrations from September 2018 and replace the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). In preparation for this the NFDA has been working closely with Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) to help inform the automotive industry of the changes.
Robinson continued, “The NFDA has contacted individual manufacturers to urge them to provide their respective dealer networks with clear guidance on WLTP and the effects its introduction may have.
“We also held a workshop last month to help dealers address the potential implications of the introduction of WLTP and encourage the dialogue between dealers and manufacturers.
“It is vital that manufacturer’ expectations are realistic and feasible and that dealers know what products they are going to be supplied with and their status. We will continue to address WLTP at our regional meetings and weekly NFDA newsletter, and work closely with dealers and manufacturers to address the issue.â€
