Okinawa plans to open over 150 new dealerships in FY2021

• Dealership expansion plan to also include opening of new sub-dealers
• Company increases dealership margins and simplifies application process

Gurgaon-based electric two-wheeler maker Okinawa Autotech has announced plans to expand its dealer network from the current 350-plus to over 500 by end-FY2021. The company will also target sub-dealers, apart from the primary dealers, while expanding its footprints.

As part of the plan, the company is primarily looking at cities in Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam and the eastern region for expansion.

Jeetender Sharma, MD and founder, Okinawa: “There is no doubt that it will take a little time for the market to pick up. While the things gradually return to normalcy, we plan to grow ourselves across the country to serve the customers better. As the COVID-19 curve flattens, there will be a demand for private vehicles. Given the fact that electric vehicles are economically more viable in the longer run, people would want to opt for it. We are spreading our wings to provide our customers across the cities with easy availability of the products and services.”

Okinawa says its dealership network has been operating with limited staff and in accordance with the advisory issued by the brand. With about 30 percent of the dealerships operational, the brand delivered over 1,000 vehicles within a span of 30 days after they resumed their services. The aggressive expansion plan of the company follows the rising demand for electric vehicles among customers.

What steps have been taken to strength and expand the dealership network?

Okinawa says, while COVID-19 has forced a slowdown across the industries, it is planning to accelerate marketing activities and strengthen its dealership network. The brand has also announced a hike in dealership margins from 8 percent to 11 percent, to support their partners duringthe COVID-19 pandemic.

To attract dealers, Okinawa says it has simplified the application process and taken the entire procedure online to maintain safety. Simultaneously, it is adopting digital marketing to spread the word among its dealers.