Gamblin Motors revamping its truck center into used EV lot

Published 4:30 pm Monday, July 6, 2026

Art Gamblin Motors is changing its tune – from “giddy up 409” to “she sure got the boogie.”

“The rumors are true,” Gamblin Motors General Salesman Tyson Gamblin said in an email interview. “We are transitioning our Truck Center into an EV-only location specializing in pre-owned electric vehicles.”

According to Gamblin, the iconic Enumclaw dealership will have a soft opening in August, and a grand opening on Labor Day Weekend.

The transition from the Truck Center, which was not only where you could purchase a truck and other commercial vehicles, truck parts, and vehicle services, to an used-EV lot may leave some scratching their heads, especially given the Plateau’s love for older cars (look no further than the monthly car cruises around town and numerous car shows).

But according to Gamblin, the market is growing for used EV vehicles is growing.

“We found a niche selling EVs several years ago, and today they represent roughly one-third of our retail vehicle business,” he said. “… We are seeing EV buyers move beyond just the early adopters. They are becoming a more mainstream option for families, commuters and people who simply want a vehicle that is fun to drive and filled with new technology.”

Gamblin admitted there are a lot of concerns some people may have about transitioning from the lifelong familiarity of a gas-powered vehicle to an electric one.

“Moving from a traditional gas-powered vehicle to an EV can feel like a major change,” he said. “We want to help customers understand the technology, work through concerns such as range anxiety and decide whether an EV is truly right for them.”

Sticker price is always an issue, but many people are also concerned about the overall cost of maintaining an electric car.

Numerous organizations and dealerships say maintenance costs for electric vehicles are less than their gas-powered counterparts.

According to Atlas Public Policy, a nonpartisan data and policy research firm, EV drivers are expected to save thousands of dollars over seven years in the total cost of ownership (TCO), even though upfront sticker prices are higher. Costs included in the estimates are taxes and fees, insurance, fuel, maintenance and repairs, resale value, and tax credits.

For example, while the 2025 Nissan Leaf cost $6,000 more than the 2025 Toyota Corolla ($28,000 to $22,000), over seven years, Nissan drivers are expected to have lower TCO costs of about $2000 (from $41,000 against the Corolla’s $43,000).

As vehicles get larger, from compact sedans like the examples above to SUVs, the estimated savings get larger.

For compact SUVs like the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox against its exact EV model, the difference in sticker price ($28,600 to $33,600) is outweighed by a TCO saving of about $9,500 ($48,000 to $38,600).

And for mid-size SUVs like the 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee compared to the 2024 Tesla Model Y, the TCO savings come out to about $8,000 (from $54,700 to $46,600).

The only vehicle group where TCO costs were more in a gas vehicle was for pickup trucks. Comparing the 2025 Fort F-150 XLT to the 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning, it cost the former about $2,500 less than the EV truck over seven years.

There are also questions about whether EV cars are, in fact, more environmentally friendly than gas cars.

According to the EPA, EV cars have a smaller carbon footprint than gas cars, even when accounting for the electricity used for charging and battery manufacturing.

There are many more questions potential EV drivers may have, and Gamblin hopes to be a one-stop shop where people can have their concerns addressed, buy the right vehicle for their needs, and get their vehicle serviced.

“We do not want to simply sell someone an electric vehicle and send them on their way,” he said. “We want to be a local resource throughout the ownership experience, including helping them with maintenance and service.”

Finally, there will be more changes than just what cars are on the lot than stocking used EV vehicles from Ford, Audi, Honda, Kia, General Motors, Teslas, Rivians, Lucids – and, of course, new and used Chevies, continuing a nearly 60-year tradition.

“We are also working to make the building itself unique. Henry Ward, the Seattle artist and muralist who grew up in Enumclaw, will begin creating artwork for the property in July,” Gamblin said. “We are also developing a dirty soda bar inside the showroom and envision the building as a flexible, community-oriented space rather than a traditional used-car lot.”