Milton Keynes to house the UK’s first multi-brand EV showroom

The UK’s first multi-brand electric vehicle showroom is set to open its doors this weekend in Milton Keynes.

The Electric Vehicle Experience Centre (EVEC) makes use of a 4,000 square foot showroom at the Centre:MK. It aims to educate carbuyers about the benefits of EV ownership based on their personal needs and budgets, without pushing them to choose one manufacturer over another.

The EVEC will showcase vehicles from BMW, Mitsubishi, Kia, Nissan, Renault and Volkswagen, and visitors will be able to test them on roads around the city.

Chargemaster, a leading provider of EV charging infrastructure in the UK, is managing the showroom, while Milton Keynes’ Go Ultra Low City scheme provides the funding. It is hoped that the EVEC will contribute to the city’s goal of 23 per cent of all new cars registered locally being electric by 2021.

David Martell, chief executive of Chargemaster, said: “The opening of the EV Experience Centre is a landmark moment for electric vehicles in the UK. The next five years will see the uptake of EVs ramp up, as a wider choice of models come to market, with improved range and greater desirability.

“The EV Experience Centre will provide a great opportunity for those interested in electric vehicles to find out more and test drive one, which we are confident will encourage even more consumers to buy electric cars.”

Brian Matthews, head of transport innovation at Milton Keynes Council, added: “We are very proud to be one of the UK’s Go Ultra Low Cities, and we are putting the UK’s first EV Experience Centre at the very heart of our programme.

“We want to encourage and support as many drivers as possible to go electric, and the information, advice and test drives offered through the centre will help to show local consumers how easily an EV could fit into their lifestyle.”

The AA Trust – another founding partner – will also be running its Drive Electric lessons from the EVEC, with the aim of instructing drivers how to get the most out of EVs while out on the road.

The EVEC will open its doors to the public on July 22.