The benefits of alternative fuel vehicles will be outlined at a new innovation centre from car dealer Arnold Clark in Glasgow, it has announced.
The firm said the new centre will put education at the forefront of its experience, and explain to customers the expanding choice of options available across electric, hybrid and other fuel options.
The dealer took the move as sales of new ICE vehicle sales will stop in the UK within less than nine years – and despite the used car market continuing beyond this point, it acknowledged most manufacturers’ ranges will be electrified with a variety of options. Currently, 1% of the UK population drives an electric vehicle, but the expected transition will be exponential in the coming years, the dealer expects.
As well as two managers, there will be five dedicated innovation centre product “geniuses” working at the centre within the appointment-only centre. The employees all specialise in alternative fuel vehicles and are there to educate customers on the journey towards buying an electric car.
A business specialist is on site for those considering decarbonising their fleets and to assist in the different choices available. The dealership is also working with a number of organisations in support of clean power, including Transport Scotland, OZEV, Scottish Power, Energy Saving Trust, Go Ultra Low, Strathclyde University and The NVT Group.
Vehicles currently available for test drives include the the Volkswagen ID.4, Mercedes EQC, MINI Electric, Hyundai Kona, Kia e-Niro, BMW X2, and BMW i3.
Arnold Clark Chief Executive and Group Managing Director, Eddie Hawthorne, said: “There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about EVs. And this is something we as an industry need to educate our customers about, which is what we’re trying to do.
“We’ve invested well over £5 million in our Innovation Centre in Glasgow. It’s not a site we are selling anything from. It’s specifically an innovation, information and educational centre. The centre displays alternative fuel vehicles from all the manufacturers we represent, plus some we don’t. We currently have 60 vehicles on-site. These include fully electric, plug-in hybrids, hybrids, and commercial vehicles that are also alternatively fuelled.”
Image courtesy of Arnold Clark
