Thursday, September 29, 2022

'Auto Trends' Talks To Black-Owned Electric Vehicle Manufacturer Derek Bailey

Derek Bailey, CEO of Derek Automotive, is standing in front of a retrofitted MG electric vehicle in his showroom. (Photo Credit: DA)

As the country slowly makes the shift towards electric vehicles, Derek Bailey, the CEO of Derek Automotive, joins Auto Trends with JeffCars.com, a multicultural syndicated automotive program, talks about what drove him to become the first Black-owned electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer in the United States.

Like CR Patterson, American’s first black automaker, the Louisiana native has found himself patterning after the history maker. Bailey, who opted not to take the traditional path of accepting a corporate position after college opted to roll the dice. After a night at the casino, the daring risk taker earned enough money to secure a one-way flight to Cambodia, using his salesmanship once he landed in town to earn his living.

A MG in the showroom of Derek Automotive that was converted from gasoline to electric. (Photo Credit DA)

Thus, fast-forward decades later after purchasing a gas guzzling pick-up truck, this sparked Bailey’s and one of his business partner's interests in the electrification lane, as they were figuring out another means to cut his weekly fuel bill. 

So, today not only is the charismatic entrepreneur an electric vehicle manufacturer, Bailey has also carved a unique niche - converting gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles. Moreover, the entrepreneur has developed a patent technology which doesn’t allow his cars to rely on the electric grid for recharging.


To Tune In

Learn more about Bailey's path towards electrification and how he is using a similar ownership process as Chick-fil-a to expand his dealer network throughout the country, as opposed to using the traditional franchise method. Tune in to Auto Trends with JeffCars.com this weekend. The program airs Saturday, October 1 thru Thursday, October 6. Listeners can tune in on SiriusXM or via several of our FM radio outlets.

For scheduling details and to listen online, click here. And to visit his website checkout derekautomotive.com.



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