AM Online recently reported that IA Electric Vehicles, the UK’s first multi‑brand electric-vehicle distributor, plans to bring two new Chinese brands — Seres and Skywell — to the UK market in 2024. To support this expansion, Chairman Samir Hmicho announced that IA is opening up franchise opportunities to both single- and multi‑site dealer groups.
The strategy is already taking shape: Armstrong Vehicle Centre, part of the William Armstrong Group, has committed to opening the country’s first Seres showroom in Kingstown, Carlisle, and will also represent Skywell later this year. Nicola Robinson, business manager at Armstrong Vehicle Centre, said Seres reflects the future of affordable electric mobility; she hopes the partnership will help change perceptions of electric vehicles and hasten the transition to a zero‑emission future.
IA, which has sold the DFSK EC35 electric panel van since 2022, emphasises that it will offer dealers not just advanced vehicles like Seres and Skywell but also robust support packages and flexible financing. Hmicho notes that an IA franchise gives dealers access to a broad range of electric vehicles appealing to families and businesses. He highlights low franchise costs, attractive dealer margins and the absence of strict corporate-identity requirements as key advantages.
Seres, introduced to the UK at the London EV Show in December 2023, is a California‑based subsidiary of China’s Seres Group and will debut the Seres 3 compact SUV for under £30,000, with larger models — Seres 5, Seres 7 and Seres 9 — slated to follow through 2025 . Skywell, one of the world’s fastest‑growing car brands, plans to launch its ET5 mid‑size SUV in the UK in the second quarter of 2024; the ET5 is projected to offer a WLTP range of around 304 miles . IA’s existing partner DFSK will also introduce a larger electric van later this year to compete with vehicles such as the Ford Transit Custom .
To sustain these ambitions, IA Electric Vehicles aims to secure about 60 dealer partners by the end of 2024 and invites dealerships across the UK to explore franchise opportunities with low entry costs. For the full details, see the original article on AM Online am-online.com
