Style Edit: What to expect at Inchcape EV Hub in Hong Kong: the leading car dealer’s pop-up space in Kai Tak showcases cutting-edge electric vehicles alongside tech-driven services using AI and VR

Feb 26 , 2024

The launch of the Inchcape EV Hub at the new Airside mall in Kai Tak. Photos: Handout

Inchcape is committed to an electric future, made apparent at its new pop-up space at the Airside shopping mall in Kai Tak showcasing EVs from specialist and established brands

Its newly enhanced online platform allows people not just to buy vehicles, but also to sort out everything from financing to insurance – and visitors can also try a simulated driving challenge

Electric vehicles are taking over. Not only are EVs a critical component of a more sustainable future, but they also have lower running costs than their traditionally fuelled counterparts. As a result, there are now more than 10 million EVs sold each year. That accounts for around 14 per cent of all new cars sold globally, a figure that soars to 60 per cent in China, which has about half of all the world’s EVs on its roads. While Hong Kong is lagging behind, that’s changing fast.

Inchcape has long been keeping Hong Kong on the move with vehicles from some of the city’s most popular automotive brands. The company has recently also established a leadership position in EVs, working with specialist companies like Ora and Maxus, as well as models from established brands such as Toyota and Lexus. Cementing and advancing that commitment to an electric future, it recently opened the city’s biggest temple to the EV revolution: the Inchcape EV Hub.

The Hub offers everything Hong Kong needs for the greater roll-out of EVs

Located at the new Airside shopping mall in Kai Tak, it’s a multifaceted pop-up space that showcases a full range of cutting-edge EVs alongside a host of handy extras, from vehicle support services to enticing entertainment options.

As well as EVs like the Toyota bZ4X, Lexus RZ450e, Ora Funky Cat 400 Pro and Maxus Mifa 9, the Inchcape EV Hub will also feature a very special edition: the Toyota bZ4X x Adidas Adizero joint venture. Combining cutting-edge styling with a host of hi-tech features, the model makes its debut at the new space.

Technology similarly comes to the fore in the shape of lifelike AI character Icy, who provides visitors with body repair quotations. Trained on nearly seven million photos, the AI-driven service is fast, always available and up to 96 per cent accurate in its assessments.

Advanced tech also powers the Lexus Electrified VR experience on offer at the Hub, with visitors able to put on VR glasses and immerse themselves entirely in a lifelike Lexus driving experience.

Adding an extra element of fun to the proceedings is the Drive the Future simulated driving challenge, which allows visitors to take the wheel of a Toyota bZ4X or Lexus RZ450e, controlling battery use to optimise carbon dioxide emissions. Users can even take photos of themselves and download them using a QR code.