World’s First Carbon-Neutral Dealership Changes Hands
Motorcars Honda of Cleveland Heights has been purchased and renamed by the nine-store Foundation Automotive group. The Ohio store was recognized by BP as the world’s first carbon-neutral auto dealership in 2016.
Foundation Honda’s parking structure is covered by a massive solar canopy that is made from 80% recycled vehicles and generates 1.3 megawatt hours of electricity per day — enough to power 40 homes.
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Foundation Automotive Corp. has acquired Motorcars Honda of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, after nearly 30 years of family ownership.
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Foundation Automotive Corp. has acquired Motorcars Honda of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and renamed it Foundation Honda. Terms of the deal were finalized last week and not made public.
The dealership was owned and operated for more than 30 years by the Gile family, which still owns Motorcars Toyota on the opposite side of Mayfield Road. Foundation now operates nine rooftops in North Dakota, Ohio, Texas, and Western Canada.
The Honda store made headlines in 2016, when BP named it the world’s first carbon-neutral auto dealership. The recognition followed the installation of a 335-kilowatt solar canopy over its parking structure. Made mostly from scrapped vehicles, the structure is said to generate enough electricity to power 40 homes.
In a statement, the new owners said they will take up the banner of energy efficiency. They also plan to grow the 46,500-square-foot dealership’s workforce from 123 to 170, make upgrades to its assembly-line style service department, and extend service hours.
“Operationally, we have lots of improvement opportunity, which is good news. It provides an opening for us to raise the bar.”
“The success of the integration will be driven by how we begin working as one with a singular commitment to serve customers and the community,” Foundation COO Chuck Kramer said in a press release. “Operationally, we have lots of improvement opportunity, which is good news. It provides an opening for us to raise the bar for customers and make the greater Cleveland Heights area proud to have Foundation Honda within their local business community.”
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Foundation Honda’s general manager and managing partner, Peter Wink, moved from Texas to take the job.
“We plan to continue to provide our customers with outstanding cars and service, working hand-in-hand with the community toward continued growth and success,” Wink told Cleveland.com. “We’re looking forward to a long relationship with Cleveland Heights and our clientele.”
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