Member Article

Volvo zooms into Brent Cross with electric car showcase

Volvo, one of Europe’s leading car makers, has opened a new studio at Brent Cross, providing unique access to its latest electric vehicles as the brand aims to ‘become all-electric’ by 2030.

This is the first electric vehicle showcase within a UK retail destination for Volvo and underpins the wider strategy by Hammerson to repurpose and future-proof the destination with more experiential, entertainment and leisure brands.

As part of Volvo’s new showcase experience, customers will be able to book a test drive, place an order for a new car and discover purchase options, including the all-inclusive Care by Volvo subscription service.

Designed to be open and welcoming, the 2,045 sq ft Volvo Studio has a Scandinavian look that reflects the clean, contemporary lines that distinguish the brand’s style principles. It will showcase Volvo’s range of Recharge battery electric models, including the fully electric version of its best-selling and multi-award-winning XC40 compact SUV, and is hosted in partnership with Endeavour Automotive.

The two companies have clear synergies in sustainability with Hammerson having its own ambitious target to be Net Zero for carbon, water, resource use and social impacts by 2030. The company’s Sustainability Linked Bond signed last year acts as an incentive to reduce carbon emissions by 2025.

The partnership comes just 12 months after Hammerson and Aberdeen Standard Investments, joint owners of Brent Cross, installed 50 of a planned 236 EV Charging Points at the destination, making it the largest facility of its kind in the UK.

Millie Edwards, Senior Leasing Manager at Hammerson, said: “Volvo is a prime example of how we’re diversifying the tenant mix at Brent Cross, bringing in new uses and experiences which you wouldn’t expect within a retail and leisure destination. Over 70 per cent of our customers travel by car and with the electric car market increasing signficantly over the last few years and our new EV Charging Points, Volvo is perfect for our customer base and will attract those who may have looked out-of-town for this type of offering.”

Kristian Elvefors, Volvo Car UK Managing Director, added: “The Volvo Studio is a super initiative that brings the technology, style and desirability offered by our range of new electric cars to a wider audience. Following a successful launch in the Netherlands, we are delighted to bring the Studio concept to the UK for the first time, and located in one of the country’s most affluent catchment areas, Brent Cross is the ideal destination.”

Brent Cross, North London’s premier retail and leisure destination, is home to over 120 international and UK brands including John Lewis, Apple, Fenwick, Ted Baker and Kurt Geiger. Continuing to evolve to meet the needs of its loyal customer base, Brent Cross recently welcomed Moorfields Eye Hospital, which recently opened its first diagnostics hub in a retail environment at Brent Cross . Alongside its strong retail and healthcare offering, millions of customers return each year for the seasonal events including the annual Winter Festival and The Beach, London’s largest urban beach, surrounded by rides, games and street vendors.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nick Thornton .