Electric vehicle startup Bollinger Motors has officially announced its first-ever retail partnership with LaFontaine Automotive Group, a multi-store Michigan dealership.
The new trade agreement will bring Bollinger Motor's next Class 4 commercial truck and B4 chassis cab to LaFontaine's storefront, with the latter expected to arrive later this year. The startup automaker, founded in 2015, plans to produce vehicles in its home state of Michigan. “We are excited to be working with LaFontaine here in Michigan to design and manufacture the B4,” said Robert Bollinger, founder and CEO of Bollinger Motors. “LaFontaine shares our commitment to quality and customer service,” he added.
With the addition of Bollinger Motors to its product catalog, LaFontaine Automotive Group now represents 54 automotive brands in 39 stores. However, when the new electric cars arrive, only two of his locations will be selling them: La Fontaine Bollinger Farmington Hills and La Fontaine Bollinger Lansing.
“Our partnership with Bollinger Motors is a true testament to our dedicated team and our commitment to providing our commercial customers with a personalized experience that goes far beyond the sale of a vehicle,” said Dealer Group CEO, Ryan LaFontaine commented. “This partnership is consistent with our long-term vision of growth and expansion as we expand our commercial vehicle lineup, allowing us to serve a broader customer base and expand our strategic presence across Michigan. This allows us to strengthen our presence in this location.”
LaFontaine Automotive Group's partnership with Bollinger Motors mirrors a decision by at least another up-and-coming automaker, VinFast. While other electric vehicle brands such as Rivian and Polestar are looking to imitate the direct-to-consumer Tesla model, the Vietnam-based company announced earlier this year that it had signed deals with multiple third-party franchises in the United States. did. Sell current and future models. Proponents of direct sales systems argue that cutting out the middleman reduces costs for consumers, while proponents of franchise models argue that it reduces transparency and removes incentives to provide good customer service. It is argued that there is a possibility that
