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Ebbett Group is opening a new car dealership on the corner of Rutherford and Nile streets in Nelson.
A vacant site in Nelson is becoming a new car dealership.
The Ebbett Group is taking over the site at the corner of Rutherford and Nile streets, with plans to open a dealership for Skoda, GWM and Haval vehicles.
The company owns 18 dealerships in the North Island, but this is its first foray into the south.
Executive director Richard van den Enge said the hope was to be open in the third quarter of the year, though the timeframe would depend on “when I can get my hands on some gib board”.
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Enquiries for electric and hybrid vehicles had been growing steadily in the past year, but in the past few weeks had blown up, said Ebbett Group executive director Richard van den Enge.
Given the state of fuel prices and shifts towards more environmentally friendly cars it was an interesting time to be opening a new dealership, he said.
“But, people still need to get around and for Kiwis a private motor vehicle is the most convenient choice.”
Enquiries for electric and hybrid vehicles had been growing steadily in the past year, but in the past few weeks had blown up, he said.
“It’s almost like a switch flicked for Kiwis and inquiry tripled … Kiwis are keen to do the right thing by the environment, but at the same time they’re looking for the best decision for their own wallet.”
The Ebbett Group, which has operated since 1928, chose Nelson because there were no other dealerships in the top of the south offering the brands.
They also planned to sell used cars, as well as offering vehicle servicing.
The site they were moving to was currently empty but had previously housed an Office Max and a used car dealership, he said.
Managing Director, Ben van den Engel said they had been looking to move south.
“We’ve been looking for the right opportunity in this part of the country for a while now and are excited to have found a site, and brands, we feel can be extremely successful here. We’ve spent 93 years perfecting our craft in the North Island, so I think it’s about time we expanded down here.”
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An artist’s impression of a new car dealership opening on the corner of Rutherford and Nile streets in Nelson.