Manufactured in Ansty, Coventry, LEVC says the van will undergo a full testing programme before going into production in Q4 this year.
LEVC’s electric van is constructed using the same lightweight aluminium architecture as its TX electric taxi – said to be 30% lighter than a conventional steel body, fully rust resistant and able to absorb twice the crash energy of mild steel. It also offers high manoeuvrability with a turning circle of 10.1m.
LEVC is backed by Chinese automotive group Geely, which has invested £500 million into the business allowing LEVC to build a purpose-designed manufacturing facility, where it started building the range-extended, TX electric taxis in 2018.
The new van, says LEVC, will offer a range of 80 miles (130km) of emissions-free driving and an extended electrically driven total range of 370 miles (600km).
By 2022, the company says its Ansty facility will be working at full capacity, building 20,000 vehicles a year including the TX Taxi, TX Shuttle and the new electric van.
“Prototype stage is an important milestone in our new electric van’s development process as we stay on track towards full production in Q4,” says Joerg Hofmann, CEO of LEVC.
“This new van satisfies the growing demand for zero-emissions vehicles in the 1-tonne segment, currently dominated by diesel products, and combines this with extended mileage capability to totally eliminate any range anxiety.”