Lookers £6m Car HUB concept gets green light

Lookers’ multi-million pound Car HUB is due to open later this year after getting the go-ahead from planners.

The Middlesbrough centre will specialise in multi-franchise sales, service, maintenance and cosmetic repair, with extensive EV charging facilities and an on-site education and experience centre to support growing consumer demand and enquiries for all-electric driving options.

The 25,500 sq m site, which is located off Cargo Fleet Lane and South Bank Road, will also accommodate a standalone Ford dealership next to the new Car HUB facility.

A separate standalone dealership is also being constructed on site to accommodate an additional dealership which will be integral to the new site.

Lookers chief operating officer Duncan McPhee, said: “We’re delighted to spearhead major change, innovation and investment in the Northeast where we plan to roll out an exciting, new multi-franchise dealership that meets the buying and servicing needs of every customer and which priorities EV driving for a new generation.”

Lookers has been rapidly expanding its footprint in EV sales while driving strategic new investment in its nationwide network of dealerships as part of its commitment to be the UK’s number one choice for EV sales and servicing.

Last year, Lookers was the first dealership in England to be authorised to retail the new ORA EV brand by Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motors, becoming its first franchisee. It also recently a major strategic partnership with MG Motor UK to drive EV sales in Brighton and Worcester.

This year, it partnered with clean energy brand Egg to provide and install electric vehicle charging infrastructure across its dealership network. Egg will be Lookers’ exclusive supplier of EV charging equipment and services, including installation, service and maintenance on a variety of chargers through from fast 7 kWh AC units to rapid 150 kWh DC chargers.

Lookers has also partnered with electric vehicle and home charging comparison service Rightcharge. It has also announced an innovative tie-up with EV charging locator and mapping specialist Zap-Map, helping more customers find the locations of thousands of electric charging points nearest to them.

Additional jobs will be created at the new car retail HUB in Middlesbrough, bringing Lookers’ staff numbers in the area up to around 200.

Lookers represents more than 30 car manufacturers in over 150 dealerships, employing 6,500 people across the UK and Ireland.