EV Service Woes, Honda Sells Service, Walmart Nixes Search Bars

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Episode #1104: EV service frustrations rise as electric sales grow, Honda steps into the insurance game, and Walmart unveils Sparky—its bold AI move to replace the search bar.

Show Notes with links:

• Electric vehicle sales hit a new high in the first half of 2025, but the surge is putting pressure on service departments nationwide. According to CDK Global’s EV Ownership Study, more EVs are hitting the service lane — and owners are increasingly frustrated with the experience.
  • Q2 EV sales rose nearly 5% over Q1; first-half total reached a record 607,000+ units.
  • Only 28% of EV owners reported same-day service in 2024 — down from 40% in 2023.
  • 85% of new EV owners needed dealership service in year one, often for recalls or minor repairs.
  • Multiple visits are becoming common: 34% of non-Tesla owners said service took longer than for gas vehicles, with 21% saying it took 4 visits or more.
  • Our friend David Thomas of CDK: “We know dealers are prepared for EV service, but these numbers getting worse is not a good sign as more non-Tesla EVs are on the road than ever before.”

• Honda is taking a big step into the insurance space with the launch of Honda Insurance Solutions — a licensed agency designed to offer customers competitive, convenient coverage as part of the overall ownership experience.
  • Available in all 50 states, the platform provides quotes from top carriers via VIU by HUB, omnichannel insurance brokerage platform backed by one of the largest personal insurance brokers, Hub International
  • Customers can shop for coverage on autos, RVs, motorcycles, and even homes.
  • An OEM parts coverage option helps protect vehicle value by using only Honda and Acura Genuine Parts.
  • Future plans include full integration into Honda and Acura’s digital sales ecosystem.
  • Petar Vucurevic, President of American Honda Insurance Solutions: “Insurance is a key touchpoint in the vehicle ownership journey... promoting safer driving and increased peace of mind.”

• Walmart is doubling down on its AI transformation with the rollout of Sparky, a next-gen digital shopping agent set to replace traditional search. The move marks the retail giant’s most aggressive bet yet on an AI-first future.
  • Sparky will handle everything from grocery reorders to furnishing entire apartments based on budget and preferences.
  • The new interface will be multimodal—supporting voice, images, and video—to mirror natural human shopping behaviors and eliminate the need for keyword searches.
  • Walmart’s AI framework includes four agents: Sparky (customers), Marty (suppliers/advertisers), an associate agent, and a developer agent.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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