Best LED Lights for Car Dealerships: Showroom, Lot & Service
LED lighting guide for car dealerships. Showroom, lot, service bay, and signage lighting recommendations with CRI and foot-candle requirements.
Car Dealership LED Lighting Guide
Car dealerships require premium lighting — the quality of light directly impacts how vehicles look and whether customers buy. Different areas of the dealership have very different needs.
Lighting Requirements by Area
| Area | Foot-Candles | CRI | CCT | Best Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Showroom floor | 75-100 fc | 90+ | 4000K | LED Troffer/Panel + Track |
| Outdoor lot | 30-50 fc | 80+ | 5000K | [OT Series Area Light](/p/300w-420w-aera-lighting-shoebox-ot-series-l) |
| Service bays | 75-100 fc | 80+ | 5000K | [UFO High Bay](/p/ufo-high-bay-light-hba-series) |
| Parts dept | 50-75 fc | 80+ | 4000K | [Linear High Bay](/p/linear-high-bay-light-ihl-series) |
| Customer lounge | 30-40 fc | 90+ | 3000K | LED Panel + Downlights |
| Office | 40-50 fc | 80+ | 4000K | [LED Troffer](/p/panel-light-a-sfpl) |
Why 5000K for the Lot?
Vehicle colors look most accurate under 5000K (daylight white) lighting outdoors. Customers browsing the lot at night need to see true paint colors. Our [OT Series](/p/300w-420w-aera-lighting-shoebox-ot-series-l) offers selectable CCT — switch to 5000K for outdoor lots.
Case Study: Tesla Dealership Lighting
Our OT Series LED lighting is used in Tesla dealerships across the US:
- High CRI for accurate vehicle color representation
- Uniform illumination eliminates dark spots
- 60% energy savings vs HPS predecessor
- [Read the full case study →](/case-studies)
Outdoor Lot Lighting Tips
Service Bay Lighting
Service bays need bright, shadow-free lighting for mechanic safety and quality work:
- 150-200W UFO High Bay per bay (25ft ceiling)
- Position fixtures directly over each lift
- Add task lighting for detail work areas
- Motion sensors for bays not in constant use
Need Help With Your Lighting Project?
Auvolar provides free lighting design, photometric layouts, and rebate assistance for commercial projects.