Tesla Reportedly Acquires Former Trust Ford Sales Site In The UK

Featured Image Credit: Mark Vletter/Flickr [CC BY-SA 2.0]

Tesla reportedly acquired a former Trust Ford sales site in Belfast, Northern Ireland, located in the UK Parliamentary Constituency of Belfast South. Based on documents Tesla submitted to the Belfast City Council, the EV automaker plans to turn the Trust Ford site into a sales site and service center.

Tesla seems to be taking a similar approach in Northern Ireland as it is taking in Asia. In China, Tesla plans to build multi-purpose sales centers in 45 different cities across the country to expand its reach.

Based on its description, the EV automaker could be planning a multi-purpose sales center in Northern Ireland as well. According to a previous Tesmanian report, Tesla’s Integrated Experience Centers include vehicle displays, sales, after-sales services, and might handle test drives as well.

The proposed new Tesla store is located in Belfast’s Boucher Road, and the American EV automaker has already hired staff to operate the two-story building. Tesla’s construction manager for Europe Lois Sajtos submitted three planning applications to the Belfast City Council earlier this year for the former Trust Ford sales site.

One of Sajtos’ planning applications received approval. Tesla was granted permission to install two containers at the back of the building to store one forklift and batteries.

Credit: Tesla

Belfast’s planning officials are still discussing the other two applications Tesla submitted through Sajtos. One of the applications depicted the placement of a new “Tesla” sign at the front of the building. Tesla might put another sign somewhere on site along with flags.

According to The Irish News, Ford closed its dealership on Boucher Road in February, and Osborne King put the 8,195-square-foot-site on the market for an annual rent of £100,000.

Based on the growing population of EV users and charging networks in the surrounding area, the site on Boucher Road might be a good investment for Tesla. About 2,000 electric vehicles are on the roads in the area with about 337 public charge points, all owned and operated by the ESB group. Plus, the Tesla Model 3 was dubbed the UK’s Car of the Year for 2020 in February.

Lately, Tesla seems to be establishing a relationship with the UK. It recently received an electricity generation license in the country, and rumors have spread that the national government was looking for a four million-square-foot space to build an R&D and manufacturing plant for an electric car Gigafactory.