by IA Electric Vehicles, the UK’s first multi-brand electric vehicle distributor, earlier this year announced its plan to introduce two new Chinese brands Seres and Skywell in 2024.
Its chairman Samir Hmicho says the business is now offering franchise opportunities to both single- and multi-site dealer groups to support future growth.
Indeed, since that announcement Armstrong Vehicle Centre, part of the William Armstrong Group, said it will be opening the first Seres brand showroom in the UK, in Kingstown, Carlisle.
Nicola Robinson, business manager at Armstrong Vehicle Centre, said: “Seres represents the future of affordable electric mobility, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this transformative journey. With Seres, we aim to revolutionise the way people think about electric vehicles and accelerate the transition towards a zero-emission future.”
In addition to the introduction of the Seres brand, Armstrong Vehicle will also be taking on Skywell later this year, hoping that the dual partnership will position it as a leader in cutting-edge electric vehicle solutions.
IA, which has been selling the DFSK EC35 compact panel van since 2022, said it is not only offering Seres and Skywell as examples of advanced range of next-generation electric vehicles, but will also deliver robust support packages and flexible finance solutions too.
Opportunities
Speaking exclusively to AM Online, Samir Hmicho claims that, as the UK’s only multi-brand EV distributor, an IA franchise is a very attractive proposition for UK dealers.
“By the end of this year, we will have a wide product portfolio of the most advanced electric vehicles appealing to a broad range of customers; from families to businesses. With low franchise costs and excellent dealer margins, we offer excellent return-on-investment without imposing strict corporate identity guidelines”.
Seres
Officially introduced to the UK at the London EV Show in December, Seres is a California-based manufacturer and a subsidiary of the Seres Group – an A-Share listed Chinese manufacturer with over 10,000 employees globally.
The Seres 3 electric SUV which was unveiled at the London EV Show is competitively priced from less than £30,000 and will go on sale in late Spring.
Following on later this year will be the larger and sportier Seres 5, along with the even larger Seres 7 and Seres 9 in 2025.
Skywell
Set to be launched in the UK in Q2 2024, Skywell is one of the world’s fastest-growing automotive brands; globally-renowned for its cutting-edge technology and sleek designs. Going on sale in the summer, the Skywell ET5 is a premium mid-size SUV with a practical range of 304 miles (WLTP).
DFSK
The company’s existing brand partner, LCV manufacturer DFSK, will also be launching a new model towards the end of this year. At 7 cubic metres, the new model is larger that the outgoing EC35 and and will compete against the likes of the Ford Transit Custom, Vauxhall Vivaro and Renault Trafic.
To support the strong sales growth anticipated for 2024, IA Electric Vehicles is targeting 60 dealer partners by the end of the year and is encouraging single- and multi-site dealerships from across the UK to get in touch about franchise opportunities with low investment costs.