Acura’s new digital experience tool is designed to help reverse slumping sales as its first EV, the ZDX, rolls out to dealers in the US. Can it help Acura compete with EV leaders like Tesla and Rivian?
After launching its first EV, the ZDX, in May, Acura introduced a new way to buy its vehicles as it looks to spark sales in the US.
According to Mike Langel, Acura’s US head of sales, the new digital tool is “redefining the customer experience” as it is being rolled out to dealers nationwide.
Langel told Automotive News that Acura dealers are entering the second phase of training with its new omnichannel digital sales experience tool, ODSX. The next phase will cover 100 dealers across the US, while the first wave included just 15.
“We’re ramping up our EV transition, and at the same time redefining the customer experience for the future with ODSX,” Langel said.
The tool was developed with cloud tech company Tekion to speed up the worst part of new car shopping: the buying process.
With Acaru’s new tool, you can buy a new vehicle in as little as an hour. Traditional buying processes can take “hours.”
Acura’s shift to a digital experience comes as the brand aims to attract younger buyers and help boost slumping sales.
Online car buying has helped EV makers like Tesla and now Rivian gain market share in the US as a (mostly) hassle-free way of purchasing a new vehicle. Legacy automakers, including Ford, Hyundai, Toyota, and Volvo, are transitioning to digital buying to remain competitive.
Hyundai is even teaming up with Amazon to sell vehicles on its platform as it seeks to increase its share of the US market.
Although all 270 Acura dealers in the US were introduced to the program following the ZDX launch, Langel explained this was just Phase 1.
The brand has prioritized California and other states with higher EV adoption rates. Although the program is available to all dealers, Langel said Acura encourages untrained stores to stick to a traditional sales process to avoid a bad customer experience.
Acura has sold 2,035 ZDX models in the US since launching four months ago. However, 1,003 were sold last month as the electric SUV rolled out to dealers nationwide. Langel said 75% of ZDX sales were through its new digital sales tool.
With another 100 dealerships in line for training, Acura expects this number to pick up quickly. Meanwhile, Acura’s total vehicle sales are down 12% through the first eight months of 2024, with 87,298 units sold.
Like most automakers, Acura has introduced significant incentives to boost sales in an increasingly competitive US EV market. After introducing a new conquest cash offer last month, the ZDX featured nearly $30,000 in discounts, undercutting Tesla’s Model Y and the Cadillac Lyriq.
2024 Acura ZDX vs Tesla Model Y
Range
MSRP
Acura ZDX A-Spec RWD
313
$64,500
Acura ZDX A-Spec AWD
304
$68,500
Acura ZDX Type S AWD
278
$73,500
Acura ZDXType S AWD (Performance)
278
$74,500
Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD
320
$44,990
Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD
308
$47,990
Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD
279
$51,490
2024 Acura ZDX vs Tesla Model Y prices and specs (*ZDX prices exclude destination fee)
Acura’s parent company, Honda, has not been shy about the discounts either. Its first electric SUV, the Prologue, is one of the most affordable EV leases in the US at under $300 a month.
If you’re ready to take advantage of the savings, we can help you get started. You can use our links below to view deals on the Acura ZDX and Honda Prologue in your area.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
A view of offshore oil and gas platform Esther in the Pacific Ocean on January 5, 2025 in Seal Beach, California.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
President-Elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will reverse President Joe Biden‘s ban on offshore drilling along most of the U.S. coastline as soon as he takes office.
“I’m going to have it revoked on day one,” Trump said at a news conference, though he indicated that reversing the ban might require litigation in court.
Biden announced Monday that he would protect 625 million acres of ocean from offshore oil and gas drilling along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea. The president issued the ban through a provision of the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
An order by Trump attempting to reverse the ban will likely end up in court and could ultimately be struck down.
During his first term, Trump tried to issue an executive order to reverse President Barack Obama’s use of the law to protect waters in the Arctic and Atlantic from offshore drilling. A federal court ultimately ruled that Trump’s order was not lawful and reversing the ban would require an act of Congress.
The Republican Party has a majority in both chambers of the new Congress.
Chinese EV Automaker ZEEKR is marking its third consecutive presence on the display floors of CES. During this year’s event, ZEEKR began teasing at least three new models scheduled to launch in 2025, some of which will feature an NVIDIA DRIVE Thor-based smart driver domain controller. In addition to those codenamed models, ZEEKR is also planning to launch another NVIDIA DRIVE Thor-equipped EV called “RT” in the US to be used by robotaxi developer Waymo.
ZEEKR wasted no time touting its latest EV and autonomous driving technology at CES 2025, which kicked off in Las Vegas earlier this week. As noted above, 2025 marks ZEEKR’s third consecutive participation in the annual tech event, which is notable considering the company was founded less than four years ago.
During last year’s event, ZEEKR showcased its 007, which had just launched in China days before. It offers a 540-mile range and a starting price below $30,000. At CES 2023, ZEEKR made its public debut in the US, showcasing its flagship 001 shooting brake and a purpose-built EV designed for robotaxi network Waymo, which we saw up close later that fall.
The Waymo BEV has become known as the ZEEKR RT, which is mentioned alongside several exciting announcements that the Chinese automaker teased last month.
ZEEKR shares plans for new models, plus Waymo BEVs
ZEEKR kicked off CES 2025 today with news of a new domain controller built using NVIDIA’s DRIVE Thor next-generation centralized computer. NVIDIA unveiled DRIVE Thor in the fall of 2022, announcing ZEEKR as its first customer and initial production of vehicles featuring the technology planned for early 2025.
As such, ZEEKR is hailing itself as the first OEM to integrate NVIDIA’s next-gen system-on-chip (SoC) into a domain controller to handle a wide range of smart driving, autonomous scenarios, and parking functions. Per NVIDIA during the DRIVE Thor debut, the computer “achieves up to 2,000 teraflops of performance, unifies intelligent functions — including automated and assisted driving, parking, driver and occupant monitoring, digital instrument cluster, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) and rear-seat entertainment — into a single architecture for greater efficiency and lower overall system cost.”
As NVIDIA’s first DRIVE Thor customer, ZEEKR said its domain controller will soon be mass-produced and integrated into a new large SUV model to be launched this year. That SUV will be one of three new BEVs ZEEKR plans to launch in 2025. According to ZEEKR CEO Andy An, those vehicles have been internally codenamed “EX,” “DX,” and “CC.”
In addition to those passenger EVs in the works, ZEEKR shared that its RT van, based on the MIX and explicitly designed as a robotaxi for Waymo, is undergoing real-world testing and is expected to arrive as the world-first mass-produced purpose-built vehicle for autonomous rides.
ZEEKR RT deliveries to Waymo are expected later this year for further testing ahead of a future public robotaxi network launch. If that happens, ZEEKR could become the first Chinese EV brand to enter the US market, although it’s a bit of a loophole.
ZEEKR’s 009 MPV, MIX van, and 001 FR shooting brake are on display at CES at booth #5640 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Go check them out.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
How about a new EV with your next Amazon order? As the first brand to sell vehicles on Amazon, Hyundai says, “You’re gonna need a bigger cart.” Hyundai is now selling cars directly on Amazon, including popular EVs like the IONIQ 5. Here’s how you can snag one.
How can you buy Hyundai EVs directly on Amazon?
Buying a new Hyundai is now as easy as adding it to your next Amazon order. However, you might need a bigger cart.
Amazon revealed plans to expand into vehicle sales in 2023, starting with Hyundai. After making it official at the 2023 LA Auto Show, Hyundai began selling vehicles on the platform just before the end of 2024.
Buying a new vehicle on Amazon Auto is as easy as buying a new laptop or outfit. You can browse through available Hyundai vehicles near you, secure financing, checkout, and schedule a pick-up time directly using Amazon’s trusted platform.
You can easily find the vehicle you’re looking for with the option to sort by model, trim, color, features, and more. After you find it, you can secure financing, sign the paperwork electronically, and complete the process in just a few clicks.
The best part is the haggle-free pricing. What you see at checkout is the price you will pay. Once finalized, you can pick the day and time to pick up your new ride at a local dealership.
If you have a trade-in, you can get an instant quote by answering a few questions and uploading images of the car. Then, you can apply the credit toward your new vehicle on Amazon Autos. When you go to pick up your new vehicle, the dealership will be ready for it.
Hyundai plans to expand the program by adding more dealers throughout the year and offering more leasing and financing options. On the Amazon Auto website, you can view Hyundai vehicles at participating dealers near you.
You can already find top-selling Hyundai EVs on Amazon Auto, including the updated 2025 IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6. With new models, like the three-row IONIQ 9 rolling out, expect to see more EVs available soon.
The new IONIQ 5 starts at $42,500. With a bigger (84 kWh) battery, the updated model has a range of 318 miles, up from 303 miles in the outgoing IONIQ 5. It also has an NACS port, so it can be charged at Tesla Superchargers.
After kicking off production at its new EV plant in Georgia late last year, Hyundai’s electric vehicles now qualify for the $7,500 EV tax credit for the first time.
For those of you who don’t have access to the program yet, we’ve got you covered. With the new 2025 models rolling out, Hyundai is offering 2024 IONIQ 5 SUVs for next to nothing while they are still in stock. You can use our links below to find the best deals on Hyundai EV models in your area.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.