Winnipeg, Manitoba — Tesla is opening its first Manitoba store in the Waverly Automall in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
According to Ashok Dilawri, the chief executive of Crown Automotive Group and who is leasing out the space, Tesla signed in December with a long-term lease agreement and a five year renewal period.
Before this, Manitoba was the only province spanning British Columbia to Quebec without a Tesla shop with the closest Tesla store being in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Manitobans have also been able to purchase Teslas through Nott Autocorp in Winnipeg since 2012.
“I think it’s a good move for Tesla to come to the mall,” said Dilawri. “It can only augment the mall.”
The Crown Automotive Group has several dealerships in the area and Dilawri further noted that Tesla’s arrival will help bolster healthy competition.
Already, Tesla owners have been taking their vehicles to the new site for servicing. James Hart, president of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association, dropped off his ride last month.
“I think it’s actually going to be great for everybody,” Hart said of Tesla’s new location. “It’s going to kind of jump start the… other dealerships in that auto mall to start picking up electric vehicles.”
Hart hopes Tesla’s arrival will boost the number of electric vehicle sales in Manitoba.
While it is still unclear, inside sources have suggested that the new location will act as an information hub and service centre but won’t be a place to purchase a vehicle. Instead, customers will have to buy online and then pickup their vehicle in the store.
Because of this, Trevor Nott, president of Nott Autocorp has said that “nothing really changes for us. This actually lightens the load, this has been needed for years.”
