Geneva — After years of promising electric cars, established carmakers are actually starting to build them.

But manufacturers are realizing that a shift to battery power also requires them to retool their sales machinery. The old come-ons are obsolete. Range is the new horsepower. Connectivity replaces cylinder count. And sustainability is the new status symbol. Volvo’s Polestar 2 electric car, unveiled last week, even comes with a leather-free “vegan” interior.

The need for carmakers to win over a public still hesitant about buying a car that needs half an hour or more to recharge is becoming more urgent as electric vehicles move closer to mass production.