For those of you who remember Allan Carke Motors – "only 12 minutes north of the bridge in Albany" – it will be back to the future for you, as Allan Clarke is back. Now only two minutes north of the bridge though, in Takapuna. Allan Clarke’s in cars again, but now they are electric – vehicles he sees as the way of the future – like “walking out of the world and into another planet”, he reckons.
Allan Clarke Motors was an institution on the Shore. For the best part of a decade, from 1979, his powerful advertising messages and range of new and used vehicles drew crowds to Albany in search of a vehicle. Allan Clarke Motors Limited has stayed quietly around and is now behind the Shore’s exciting new electric vehicle business.
Joining Allan in the business is his daughter Alana and son-in-law Hadley Hargadon. Their base is right in the heart of Takapuna on Anzac Street, just by the top corner of Barry’s Point Road. While the business is still Allan Clarke Motors Limited, it is trading as Auckland City Electric Vehicles or ACEV.
The day Channel Mag popped in for a chat the small yard on the site was full of electric vehicles – a range of the popular Nissan Leaf models and BMW i3s. They have around 25 in stock with access to more within a 10 day to two week delivery time. And there is a real colour choice.
“We are able to import Nissan Leafs from the UK that are virtually brand new and they are proving to be very popular,” explains Allan Clarke enthusiastically when we quiz him on the range. "We have these 2018 40 kilowatt Leafs, that have only delivery kilometres, plus a great selection of 24 and 30 kilowatt options. If Shore people are looking for a Nissan Leaf then they need to see us.”
The 2018 Nissan Leafs at ACEV are ex-UK and come with New Zealand handbooks and English dash. They also come with a 36 month warranty – the equivalent of a new vehicle warranty. The ground-breaking 2018 Nissan Leaf offers a range of up to 300kms.
“I love the BMW i3s as well. They are a fantastic vehicle and we have the best selection of them in the country I believe. Most are 2016 or 2017 vehicles. We have lots in stock and others coming in all the time. Most of our i3s include the range extender feature which has proved very popular for those who love driving an EV but have a bit of range anxiety.”
Allan Clarke explains that vehicle maintenance and servicing is quite a different proposition with these electric vehicles. “In our heyday in Albany, we had 100 technicians to service vehicles. They reckon these EVs have only 18-20 moving parts so need a fraction of the attention that a petrol or diesel vehicle needs. So there are not only savings in fuel but big savings for owners in servicing and maintenance as well.”
“Our aim is to make buying an electric vehicle very simple for North Shore people,” adds ACEV’s GM Hadley Hargadon. “We encourage overnight test-drives so those who are new to electric vehicles are able to get a real understanding of what it is all about.
“We only buy quality vehicles. The 2018 Nissan Leafs we buy from the UK are brand new with only delivery kilometres. The pre-owned EVs we buy in Japan are 5A grade, that is the top grade in that country.
“We have had very strong enquiry from local businesses and corporates who are looking to change over to electric vehicles. The kilometre range of these newer vehicles that we are stocking makes the change very attractive. Affordable vehicles, huge savings on running costs and fantastic for the carbon footprint."
The writer of this article has been driving an electric vehicle now for over 12 months and can attest that they are a revelation. They are quick off the mark and certainly save a fortune in running costs – fuel and maintenance. They are the future. It is exciting that we now have a company right here on the Shore specialising in EVs.
If you’re thinking about making the switch get on in and see Allan Clarke and his team. They are focused on educating people about electric vehicles and how the transition has never been any easier.
Auckland City Electric Vehicles (ACEV)
106 Anzac Street, Takapuna. Phone 0800 248 9387
or 0221578317 or visit: www.acev.co.nz
