Tesla does without dealers, in part because electric cars require far less service. They have many fewer moving parts (under two dozen, by some counts). They don't need oil changes; their timing belts don't wear out; they don't need tuneups.

That's why car dealers have set up rules trying to keep Tesla out of many states. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_US_dealership_disputes for the whole rigamarole.

In Volvo's case it sounds like they're planning on having a large hybrid line that would still go through conventional dealers, which can presumably be tasked to deal with the electric stuff (though I'm sure there will be a fight about who pays what).

You'll still need servicing. What's the difference between a dealership and a servicing location? Don't most people configure and order online anyway and just pick up from a dealer? What does the dealer really do except help you pick and show you how to use the car when you pick it up?

In America, car dealerships typically sit on 5-20 acre lots, carry an inventory of tens, if not over a thousand cars, in some of the largest dealerships. In many suburban markets "car dealership" is synonymous with "new car superstore". The number of customers buying a custom order is very likely under 10%, maybe even under 5%. If you even suggest ordering a car the sales person will (in my experience) try to steer you towards something that's on the lot, as they can close the deal that day and you drive home in the car you bought.

We met a Belgian Mitsubishi dealer once, he showed us photos of his dealership, the building was about the size of a McDonalds with three bays for service and a modest office area and parking for about 15 cars. Most everything was custom order. This is, as I understand it, pretty common in Europe, and how cars were sold about 70 years ago in the US, but the "super store" model has been in place in America since at least the 1980s.

100% this. The concept of going out and buying a car, is really only a used car thing. Going out to just buy a new car is unheard of in most of Europe. It's a (often) week long process and you order your custom car at the end.

> Don't most people configure and order online anyway and just pick up from a dealer

I... don’t think so? I think most people expect a car to be available when they go to a dealership.

> What does the dealer really do except help you pick and show you how to use the car when you pick it up?

Financing, installing aftermarket parts, handling trade-ins.

> I think most people expect a car to be available when they go to a dealership.

They're not likely to have the model you want in the specification you want and the colour you want just randomly sitting right there and then, no matter how large the dealership is, so most people have to order.

> Financing, installing aftermarket parts, handling trade-ins.

Right, so trade-in is part of the delivery process and parts is like servicing. These are all things that still need to happen. Financing is part of the buying process so can be done online or they can help you do it if you're stuck.

> They're not likely to have the model you want in the specification you want and the colour you want just randomly sitting right there and then, no matter how large the dealership is, so most people have to order.

A lot of people just pick from what they have in stock (or what they can get in very short order from nearby dealerships).

> Right, so trade-in is part of the delivery process and parts is like servicing. These are all things that still need to happen. Financing is part of the buying process so can be done online or they can help you do it if you're stuck.

I don’t understand what you’re going for here. These are things that dealers do, and do a lot of. I thought that’s what you were asking about. You can do them online... but a ton of people don’t.

> I don’t understand what you’re going for here.

Someone asked

> So all Volvo dealers are done?

I said no, because they'll still need to do lots of things they already do, like handing the car over, servicing, things like that.