The London Electric Vehicle Company, previously known as LTC, has revealed the first image of its plug-in hybrid van, a sibling vehicle to the new TX black cab.
LEVC said it believes the van market “is ready for a disruptive new entrant – which will offer a very different value proposition”.
First drive of the new TX black cab
It added that its vehicle will not focus on “last-mile delivery” but instead will provide the link between out of town distribution centres and city destinations. “Our segment is vans that undertake 100 miles a day, a role currently filled by 1-tonne medium-size diesel vans,” it said.
The light commercial vehicle will be built at LEVC’s £325m factory in Warwickshire, alongside the range-extended EV cab. The purpose-built facility was opened last year as the UK’s first dedicated site for electric vehicle production.
The move to expand the line-up beyond the traditional black cab is part of a huge investment by Chinese parent company Geely. LEVC must remain profitable and relevant in the face of increasing competition and stringent regulations on air quality and emissions in major cities.
The van will use the same powertrain as the TX taxi, an advanced battery electric set-up with a 1.3-litre petrol generator. This range-extender technology gives the TX a range of more than 400 miles and it can run for more than 70 miles on electric power only. It can charge its depleted battery to almost full in 20 minutes via a rapid charger, in two hours with a fast charger and in about eight to ten hours on a trickle charger.
Similar figures are expected for the van, although are likely to be slightly less given the vehicle’s extra weight.
LEVC hasn’t given more details but said the range-extender not only means cleaner vehicles but also lower running costs. It could also avoid extra charges for diesel commercial vehicles, such as the London Low Emission Zone, that are in place or planned for several major cities. “We are aiming to deliver a vehicle that – for its size – will deliver a competitive total cost of ownership,” said the firm.
The firm has also paid attention to “class-leading safety as standard” and a focus on driver comfort and ergonomics. “The cabin has been designed around the needs of the van driver and passenger,” said LEVC.
The electrified taxi went on sale last year, ahead of new Transport for London legislation, which came in play on 1 January 2018, which requires all new cabs to have a “zero-emissions capable” range of at least 30 miles.
The van will go on sale by the end of next year.
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First drive of the new TX black cab