Ford to Munro
08-August-2021Addax – Allied Electric – Arrival – BEDEO – Berkeley – Bluebird – B-ON – Bradshaw – BYD – Canoo – Chery – Club Car – DAF – Dennis Eagle – DFSK – Electra – Electric Van Company – ELM Mobility – Everrati – e-One – Farizon – Fellten – Fiat
A number of well-known auto-makers marketed battery electric vans in the early 2000s, but rather than repeat details already set out in the history text, this section focuses on their most recent developments, along with other outfits which or may not have had a mention. Everything is written in the past tense as by the time you read this, given the short lifespan of many makes and models, some of the information will count as history too.
Addax
Founded in 1926, Iseki is a Japanese manufacturer of compact agricultural machinery and small electric vehicles. It offered its Addax commercial vehicles to the British market for roles such as green waste collection, local deliveries and servicing hotels and campuses. The range was based on the MT15n platform chassis-cab, and came with a choice of bodies including tipper, flatbed and combo tipper (with a storage cupboard behind the cab). All vehicles were built in Belgium, and were introduced to the UK around 2024.
The MT15n had a 12.5 kW three phase asynchronous motor and a 14.4 kWh battery. The cab was 1390 mm wide, making it a bit roomier than rival compact electrics like the Goupil range, and so more attractive for two-person operation. Load capacity was 725 kg for the tipper and 910 kg for the flatbed.
Allied Electric
Allied Electric was a part of the Glasgow-based Allied Vehicles company. It marketed electric versions of Peugeot light commercials. The 2009 range included the 350 kg payload ePartner, the 375 kg eBipper, the 650 kg (2.9 t GVW) eExpert, and the 895 kg (3.5 t GVW) eBoxer, plus cars and minibuses. Each offered a 100 mile range and a top speed of 70 mph. Energy came from lithium-ion (lithium-nickel on the eBipper) batteries and the power train was by Ansaldo.
The target market was smaller businesses; the vans could be charged up using a domestic power supply. 50 vehicles were built for a scheme in Glasgow managed by the Scottish Government’s Technology Strategy Board.
https://alliedvehiclesgroup.com/
Arrival
Arrival was founded by Denis Sverdlov, a Russian venture capitalist based in London. Having set up a number of high technology businesses, he moved into electric vehicles in 2015. Experience with the RoboRace autonomous electric vehicle racing project informed the development of a light van at a company called Charge Automotive set up in Yarnton, outside Oxford. In 2016 the operation was renamed Arrival and further development and pre-production assembly took place at a 110,000 sq ft facility in Banbury.
That year, a partnership was set up with UPS to build 35 electric delivery vehicles for trials in London and Paris. The prototypes were compact 3.5 t GVW forward-control vans, designed very much to UPS’s particular requirements. In 2018, Royal Mail took nine Arrival vans for trials in London. Three of the batch were to the same design as the UPS examples. Three were rated at 6 t GVW, and the remainder at 7.5 t GVW. The larger vehicles appeared to have modified OEM cabs.
Further work led to the production design which was announced a couple of years later. This had a semi forward-control layout. The design embodied an aluminium frame, and panelling made of thermoplastic and glass fibre composite panels. This was about 200 kg lighter and stronger than a traditional pressed steel structure, improving payload and making the vehicle more resistant to scratches and scrapes. All the principal traction and control components were made in-house.
The Arrival van was initially marketed in two basic versions, a delivery van with sliding door and easy interior access to the cargo area and rear roller shutter door, and a cargo van with hinged cab doors and rear twin doors to the cargo area.
The vehicles could be configured into some combinations of three heights and lengths. Thus, the delivery van could be either an H3L3 with a cargo volume of 13.5 cu m or a 17.5 cu m H3L4. The cargo van could also come in H2L2 and H2L3 formats.
Gross weights went from 3.5 t to 4.25 t across the range, and advertised payloads ranged from 861 kg (H3L3 Cargo) to 1,975 kg. The maximum payload was 2.1 t (presumably on the heaviest GVW models). Battery capacity could be specified from 44 kWh to 133 kWh, with a potential maximum range of 350 km.
The exact electrical and mechanical layout was not publicly disclosed, but Arrival offered either front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive – having either one or two traction motors and providing a two-speed gearbox. Designing the vehicle so that as much of it could be reused or recycled was a core priority.
The cab arrangements reflected what was going on in the volume car market. Driving information, route guidance and entertainment were portrayed on a large interactive screen in the middle of the dash. There was full climate control, and safety features like lane-keeping assistance. One interesting item was the aerodynamic exterior rear view vision cameras, which were claimed to offer a small but useful increase in range over conventional mirrors.
By September 2019, Arrival was employing over 600 people, about 250 of them in Britain. At that point BT, DHL, DPD and Royal Mail were showing real interest in the product.
The big breakthrough came with the order for 10,000 cargo vans from UPS. Production of these vans (with ranges from 150 km to 340 km and payloads from 975 kg to two tonnes) was slated to begin in the summer of 2022. Production of a longer cargo van, with a payload up to four tonnes, was set to begin at the same time and Arrival claimed they had orders for 2,500 of this model. A number of pre-production vans were expected to enter trial service during 2021, including with UPS.
As well as producing advanced electric vehicle designs, Arrival also developed a ‘microfactory’ concept. This involved building small assembly plants, even inside existing buildings, to put together Arrival vehicles using cell, rather than production line, techniques. Such plants could be close to the customer and take advantage of local supply chains, thereby reducing the environmental impact of moving completed vehicles long distances, and also facilitating some customisation to better meet local conditions.
Each microfactory would occupy about 20,000 sq m, cost about $45 million to build, and be able to assemble 10,000 vehicles per year. Once sales ramped up, Arrival planned to open up to four of these plants every year.
Each vehicle was designed against a grid-based dimensional framework. This facilitated the extensive use of robots that would cut assembly costs significantly. One feature of the microfactory concept would be that vehicles would not move down an assembly track. Instead they would grow within a cell, robots bringing parts and fitting them with the van remaining static.
This cost efficiency was claimed to offset the greater material cost in the vehicle compared with electric versions of conventional rivals, leading to lower retail prices and halving operating costs.
The first UK factory was to be in Bicester, employing 200 people. Production was scheduled to begin in Q3, 2022. Arrival also announced its first US facility would be in Charlotte, North Carolina, which is also the site of Arrival’s US headquarters. Production was set to commence there in Q4, 2022.
The scale of investment at Arrival indicated how the nature of the battery electric vehicle business had changed. The company anticipated spending over $400 million on capital investment in 2022, on top of huge expenditures in research and development. This had to be on the expectation that production volumes would be in the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands per year. Indeed, by early-2021, Arrival claimed to have secured orders worth $1.2 billion (around £870 million). As further evidence of its ambitions, it had secured investment from Hyundai and Kia – two large South Korean automotive OEMs. In 2020 the firm was valued at $5.4 billion.
In the middle of 2022 Arrival hit a series of big problems, including supply chain difficulties, the ongoing effects of the covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions and rising inflation. A demonstrator caught fire in front of UPS, and meeting differing European and American crash regulations proved an enormous headache. The firm was running out of cash, partly as a result of missing a number of targets to get its van into full production and starting to generate revenue. The original aim was to deliver a fleet of trial vehicles to UPS from Banbury in December 2019 and almost three years later this had not been achieved. Arrival was also working on an electric car and an electric bus, which stretched resources and capital.
In common with other electric vehicle makers, Arrival cut its workforce – in this case 800 positions among 2,700 people in Britain, Germany, Luxembourg and the United States. In October 2022 Arrival announced that it would concentrate its van production activities in the United States and halt those efforts in the UK. Work at its Bicester facility would be focused on optimising microfactory production processes and supporting trials with existing customers. A new factory was to be built in South Carolina.
The stated reasons for effectively abandoning the UK market in favour of America were the size of the potential market and tax credits available to encourage customers to buy electric arising from the Inflation Reduction Act. These could be up to $40,000 per vehicle, but major components had to originate in the US and final assembly had to take place there. These reasons would make it easier to raise capital to finance production compared with the much less generous climate in Britain.
Things started to unravel for the company very quickly in the latter months of 2022. Missed delivery targets, a shortage of cash, and spreading its resources across too many development projects saw its valuation plummet from over $15 billion at its peak on the New York Nasdaq exchange to just $250 million. In spite of a $300 million cash injection and severe cost cutting the firm could not secure its viability. By the end of 2022 it still had not delivered a production-standard vehicle to any of its prospective customers. After struggling through 2023, Arrival finally collapsed at the start of 2024. Its assets were sold to Canoo (qv).
It was a sad end to an enterprise that promised so much.
BEDEO
BD Auto was founded in 2012 as the British subsidiary of the Turkish company BD Otomotiv. It was based in Farnham, Hampshire.. Until about 2019, BD Auto sold conversions of various light commercial vehicles to electric traction, but whether the practical work was done in Britain or Turkiye was not clear as the same range of conversions were marketed in both countries.
The brand name BEDEO was adopted and in 2019 the firm concluded a deal with PSA (now Stellantis) to install battery electric drive systems into a selection of its light commercial vehicles, including refrigerated delivery trucks. Rather than always sell vehicles direct, this deal meant that the conversions could be sold through the various Stellantis brand outlets.
One base vehicle was from the Ducato family, built at the Sevel operation in Italy. The range embraced the BD eVan, BD eChassis (a chassis-cab unit) and the BD eBus, including e-chiller and e-tipper variants on the van and chassis respectively. Gross weights go from 3.5 t to 4.25 t, with a payload up to 1,500 kg. The food distribution company Ocado ran a fleet of 2019 Fiat Ducatos, rebadged as BD eVans after conversion.
Conversions were also available for the Fiat Ducato, Fiat Doblo and Renault Trafic. The potential of this marketing approach became less obvious once OEM electric versions of all three started to appear.
Subsequently, BEDEO marketed itself as an output able to take an existing diesel van and convert it to electric drive, thus allowing it to avoid London’s ultra-low emission zone charges for example. It offered this service under a ‘Reborn Electric’ banner, stripping out an ICE drivetrain and replacing it with a set up including two Protean wheel motors and a battery pack. A battery pack of 37 kWh gave a range of 117 km respectively. BEDEO bought the British Protean Electric company in 2021.
The base vehicles could be the Citroen Jumper, Fiat Ducato, Opel Movano and Peugeot Boxer. These conversions were fully approved by Stallentis. In 2026 it was anticipating offering conversions for the Renault Trafic and the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Vehicles could be adapted to meet regulations in Europe and elsewhere. In 2024 the medical waste management company Medisort had its first Citroen van retrofitted by BEDEO.
Berkeley
Berkeley Coachworks is an engineering firm specialising in activities like automotive concept and prototype development, application of advanced materials, and manufacturing small volume specialist vehicles’ and trailers. It also produces bespoke sports cars. To secure Welsh government support, the company moved its operations to a site near to Haverfordwest in Wales.
The firm had been developing a rugged electric truck, initially aimed at assembly and applications in Africa but also off-road work in Britain. By early 2026 12 vehicles had been built over the course of ten years. One example was displayed at the 2026 Commercial Vehicle Show, but there was no detail about its specification or proximity to production.
https://berkeleycoachworks.com/
Bluebird
Bluebird Technologies was based in Pontardawe, in south Wales. It briefly held the world land speed record for an electric car when its Electric Bluebird reached 137 mph in August 2000 on Pendine Sands. It was driven by Don Wales, the grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell. The Bluebird company, in its various forms, had an association with the Campbell Bluebird story, through pursuing and achieving records in battery-powered vehicles. In the mid-2010s it was a pioneer in developing racing cars for Formula-E.
The firm’s innovative approach to design was manifested when it revealed the XDV, which was developed in association with Express Dairy. The dairy firm bought a prototype and ordered six subsequent vehicles. The design had a complete wrap round windscreen, easy driver access on and off the vehicle behind the cab, and a choice of body styles. Even with lead-acid batteries it promised a 55 mile range with road speeds up to 60 mph. Parcelforce tried it out for package deliveries in Northampton.
The venture was supported by the Welsh Development Agency through its Accelerate Wales initiative, and in 2001 Bluebird announced plans for a factory capable of producing 2,500 vehicles a year in Wales. This seemed highly ambitious given the market sentiment towards battery electrics at the time and a year later government backing was withdrawn. The Express Dairy prototype remained unique, and the six production vehicles never materialised.
Bluebird Technologies was wound up, but its sister outfit, Bluebird Automotive, continued work on battery electrics – albeit less exotic ones. The firm was approached by Golden Vale Dairies of Bridgend, which wanted to continue employing electric milk floats but could not find a source of new ones. Bluebird developed a prototype, which was delivered in 2002, followed by one production example.
Flush from its electric car success, in 2003 the enterprise grabbed the world land speed record for an electric milk float when its Electron E150 got to 73.39 mph, driven by, Richard Rozhon, a Welsh Formula Three racing driver. This machine had a chassis constructed by Llandaff Engineering and bodywork designed by Amalfi Design.
In order to be able to build electric vehicles in quantity, Bluebird partnered with Llandaff Engineering to form Q Electric Vehicles. A range of high-performance milk floats was announced, based on the Golden Vale duo.
The QEV70 was promoted as a functional-looking local delivery model, available for payloads of 1.5 to 2.5 tonnes. A QEV90 and QEV120 were contemplated, the largest vehicles going up to 10 t GVW. ‘QEV’ stood for Q Electric Vehicles, and who exactly owned the rights to that trade mark was at the heart of a dispute between the partners that led to the demise of the whole enterprise in 2007.
The Bluebird name re-emerged however, and in 2012 Bluebird Performance Engineering (now of Coventry) announced that it had teamed up with a Chinese company called Suzhou Eagle Electric Vehicles to bring a 3.5 t milk float to the UK market, called the BE-1. It would have a payload of 1,700 kg. The plan was that the bulk of the design and manufacture of the chassis-cab would be done in China, with bodywork and final assembly being done in Wales.
Eagle was a major manufacturer of golf-carts and the kinds of people-carriers that move people round airport terminals. The BE-1 was clearly based on this technology. Indeed, part of the deal was that Bluebird would assemble Eagle products for the European market. The 6 kW motor would drive the rear wheels through a five-speed gearbox, giving a maximum speed of 30 mph and a range of 40 mph. An optional 9 kW motor could push the top speed up to 40 mph. A flat-bed example was illustrated on the company’s web-site but it is not clear if the deal with Suzhou Eagle came to anything.
At an investor presentation in 2012, plans were also announced to market the Bluebird City. This would be an electric urban delivery vehicle developed with the Chinese partner and designed to compete with the Ford Transit and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. It would incorporate a ‘hot swap’ battery system that would enable a depleted battery to be quickly replaced by a fresh one – effectively doubling a vehicle’s daily range.
B-ON
B-ON is a company based in Coventry which formed an alliance with the Chinese automaker Chery to put a keenly-priced electric vans on to the European market. B-ON provided a distribution network in Europe and North America, plus product design and development expertise. Chery provided manufacturing and engineering capabilities.
The Pelkan was announced in the UK, along with the partnership, at the 2024 Commercial Vehicle Show. It was a mid-sized electric van with a substantial payload of up to 1,350kg, aided perhaps by its aluminium body. Depending on whether a 43kWh or 54kWh battery is chosen, a range of between 140 and 173 miles was claimed. Deliveries were due to begin later in 2024. The vehicles would be imported from China to a former Nissan factory in Spain, to be modified to meet European regulations.
In early 2026, B-ON was indicating that the next generation of vans was on its way. Given Chery’s own expansion into the UK market, the ongoing nature of the partnership was unclear.
Bradshaw
John Bradshaw Plant & Equipment Limited of Peterborough started making electric vehicles in the 1970s, and concentrated mainly on industrial trucks and vehicles for site applications. They were based on American Taylor-Dunn designs. Until the 2010s road versions were rare. In 2000 the Borough of Sandwell in the West Midlands purchased an ET2 one tonne vehicle for street cleaning duties with a caged dropside body. It was well able to keep up with traffic as it had a top speed of 32 mph.
The company is now a UK distributor for Club Car light electrics, built in the United States, and Goupil electric vehicles, built in France. Both these brands are discussed elsewhere in this section.
BYD
The Chinese automaker BYD has become one of the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturers. In the UK it has provided the drive system and running units for hundreds of electric buses, and it is a leading supplier of electric passenger cars. The Dolphin Cargo E-Van was announced in 2026 as a derivative of the Dolphin hatchback, with the load deck taking the place of the rear seats. There was a bulkhead behind the front seats and the rear windows are blanked out.
A front-mounted 204 bhp motor and a 60 kWh battery promised up to 357 miles of inter-city range. The 1,000 litres of load space could accommodate a payload of up to 363 kg. As such, the Cargo e-van was aimed at nippy last mile urban delivery work.
Canoo
Canoo was an American start-up electric vehicle manufacturer established in 2017 and based in Torrance, California. Following its demise, Canoo purchased the assets of Arrival (qv).
The firm developed a Lifestyle Vehicle (LV) platfrom, to be available as a minivan, cargo van or pick-up.
Perhaps to gauge potential interest, it showed off an example of its Lifestyle Delivery Van at the 2024 Commercial Vehicle Show. The company struggled to achieve viability and it declared bankruptcy in 2025. Dozens of LDVs had already been built in the United States; NASA even used three to transport astronauts as part of the Artimis programme.
Chery
The Chery group is a large Chinese automaker, selling petrol, hybrid and electric cars in Britain under brands like Jaecoo and Omoda. In January 2026 it announced it would establish a Chery Commercial Vehicle (CCV) European headquarters for development and marketing in Liverpool. The focus of CCV would definitely be on all-electric vehicles, in the van and lightweight sectors initially.
At the 2026 Commercial Vehicle show in Birmingham, no ready-to-market vehicles were displayed, but two interesting exhibits were on show.
The micro-cargo was an ultra-compact city delivery van, in chassis-cab form with what appeared to be a chill cabinet box body. No technical specifications were provided.
Alongside it was a full-size mock-up of the Delivan, a mid-size urban delivery van designed to compete with products like the Ford Transit City or Farizon Z7E. A modular approach will permit the model to be configured into various lengths and body volumes. The UK launch was expected in 2027, ahead of introduction into other European markets.
An established product in China was the Karry EX7, which came in chassis cab format and could have come to Europe ahead of the Delivan.
Delivan would be established as a distinct brand, just as Chery already had a string of car brands.
Club Car
Club Car produced a range of light electric vehicles which were developments of the golf cart. The Carryall range featured an aluminium chassis, and was fitted with a 48 V battery. Royal Mail acquired an example in 1999 that looked like a golf-buggy with a primitive cab and a demountable box body.
DAF
DAF was established in the Netherlands in 1928 and since 1996 has been owned by Paccar of the US. In 1986 DAF took a controlling interest in Leyland Trucks in the UK, and most of its lighter-weight trucks are built at the Leyland factory.
The UK government set up the Technology Strategy Board to invest in promising technologies and in 2010 the £25 million Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform was announced. Among the projects supported was one in which Leyland Trucks led a partnership to develop a second generation 12 tonne lorry. Valence in Northern Ireland supplied the 96 kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery and MAGTEC of Rotherham provided the 150 KW, 600 Nm permanent magnet motor. The aim of the 15 month project was to refine vehicle design to improve performance, road manners and efficiency. The DAF LF chassis cab weighed 4,660 kg unladen, and could carry a payload of 5,540 kg when fitted with a box body and tail lift. It could travel 100 miles on one charge, reach 50 mph, and surmount a 16% gradient. Only one example was built and it is on display in the British Commercial Vehicle Museum, which happens to be in Leyland.
DAF continued with its in-house development of electric vehicles. It collaborated with VDL E-Power Technology in the Netherlands to create the CF Electric tractor unit, capable of handling an articulated rig of up to 40 t GCW.
The production version, rated at 37 t GCW, featured a 350 kWh battery pack which provides energy to a 210 kW (240 kW peak power) electric motor. A 6×2 version (three axles, one driven) is also offered for roles like refuse collection, rated at 29 tonnes GVW.
The first UK customer was Freight Systems Express Wales (FSEW), a freight forwarding business based in Cardiff – serving businesses like Ford, Hoover Candy and Tesco. The company had ambitious goals to achieve a zero-emissions operation across the fleet, and establishing the first eFreight hub in Europe.
FSEW was assisted by the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP), which provided targeted support for ambitious growing firms. The programme was part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.
This hub would be set up to enable goods to be transferred from rail on to zero-emission road vehicles for onward distribution. It would also offer a low-carbon charging for large electric commercial vehicles such as buses and refuse lorries, as well as its own fleet.
FSEW purchased two CF Electric tractor units following a detailed study of the operating profile the trucks would need to manage. Charging facilities were partly funded by the Welsh government.
FSEW’s intention was that once lessons had been learned from experience with the first two units, another ten would be ordered and within as little as two-and-a-half years the whole tractor unit fleet would be battery-powered. As things turned out, FSEW did indeed expand its electric fleet substantially, although with a mix of DAF, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz trucks.
DAF delivered five CF Electric tractor units to Amazon UK early 2022. They were the first electrics to join Amazon’s ‘middle distance’ fleet, able to haul box trailers on regional, rather than national, routes. On average, these trucks would clock up 400 miles per week, although DAF claimed the electric CF could operate up to 500 km per day with the optimum charging regime.
In 2021 DAF announced that an all-electric version of the LF range would be built at its factory in Leyland. Development took place at Leyland in close co-operation with Dana. The 282 kWh lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) battery supplied a 250 kW motor. The battery was interesting in that it contained no cobalt or magnesium. A range of 280 km (175 miles) was claimed. The GVW was 19 tonnes with a body and payload allowance of 11.7 tonnes. Wheelbases of 5.3 m and 5.85 m were offered. One option was a 400 V e-PTO to run auxiliary equipment like an electro-hydraulic crane (as on a building merchant’s lorry).
The LF Electric had a combined charging system which meant it could either be connected to a 415 V three-phase supply for overnight charging, or to a 650 V DC rapid charger which would take the battery from 20% to 80% charge in just one hour.
In spring 2022 it was announced that a fleet of twenty DAF LFs were entering service as part of the UK Government’s Battery Electric Truck Trial (BETT). All the operators were public sector, including the National Health Service (NHS) and local authorities. The trucks were equipped with devices to acquire real-time operating data. The box bodies on all the vehicles were built by DAF, and a number of them had temperature-controlled load spaces. They were to be allocated to 13 sites, and the duty cycles were deliberately chosen to present a range of operational challenges, so provided a diverse set of data.
The food distribution company Brakes put an LF Electric into service in early 2023, expecting an annual CO2 saving of approximately 52 tonnes on this single vehicle alone. At 19 t GVW, the truck managed a payload of 8 tonnes, the same achieved with Brakes’ ICE 18 t GVW machines. The refrigeration system in the Solomon Brothers body was powered directly off the main battery.
At the end of 2023 DAF completed an entirely revamped portfolio of trucks spanning all its weight bands. The range included ICE and electric versions of each model type. At the top end of the electrics, the XD rigid and XF tractor unit – announced in 2022 – were able to work regional applications, replacing the CF Electric. This was problematic as the start of production at Eindhoven was put back several times.
The XB range of urban delivery trucks offered electric variants at the 12 t, 16 t and 19 t GVW points. The New Generation cab provided full-size truck space and comforts, such as a 12 inch infotainment screen. The 12 t model had smaller wheels, permitting a single step entry to the cab. The XB superseded the LF Electric.
Wheelbases varied from 4.2 m to 6.9 m. 120 kW or 190 kW motors were available, offering torque from 950 Nm to 1850 Nm in regular use, and 2,600 Nm to 3,500 Nm in extreme conditions. Battery capacities ranged from 141 kWh to 282 kWh – promising up to 280 km of range.
The DAF Combined Charging System allowed the truck to be recharged overnight from the national grid, or – by selecting rapid charging through a 650v 150 kW DC charger – boost charge from 20 to 80 per cent within around an hour.
At the beginning of 2026, the XG and XG+ long-haul electric trucks were announced, sharing much of their technology with the XF. They provide even bigger cab sizes (330 mm longer than the XF and taller), responding to EU legislation which has permitted greater dimensions and weights for electric vehicles. They were both available in 4 x 2 and 6 x 2 formats, and promised a range up to 500 km.
In summary the 2026 DAF range consisted of the mid-sized XB Electric, designed for urban distribution; the XD Electric for urban and regional distribution; the XF Electric for long-haul freight transport; and the XG and XG+ Electric for national and international long-haul operations. Every model has a modular drive train with Paccar electric motors delivering up to 350 kW, powered by a range of LFP battery packs.
In the United States Paccar developed a range of electric motors to power electric versions of its Kenworth and Peterbilt models, as well as those from DAF. The EX-D1 motor was available in 170, 220, or 270 kW versions. The EX-D2 could be specified in 270, 310, or 350 kW versions. Drive to the rear wheels was through a three speed ZF transmission. By 2026 torue output from the EX-D1 and EX-D2 was 1,500 and 2,400 Nm respectively. The maximum regenerative braking power is 270 kW (D1) and 350 kW (D2).
All the DAF models used the EX-D2 motor except the XD Electric which was fitted with the EX-D1 for operation up to 29 t GVW. The LFP battery from CATL could be specified in three, four or five packs depending on the combination of payload and range required, and there was some flexibility in where the packs could be fitted around the chassis, depending on the application.
A noteworthy feature on the XF, XG and XG+ models was the one-pedal driving function, through which the driver could set the degree of regenerative braking via a lever on the steering column. It could be set to 33%, 66%, or 100%.
The exterior of the electric models was highlighted with blue feature lights. In the cab a digital instrument cluster monitored the electric drivetrain, including energy consumption, charging status, range, power output, and regeneration. The optional satnav also pinpointed charging locations.
Also in early 2026, special versions of the XF, XG and XG+ range were offered for particular applications. The FTG and FTN Electrics were 6×2 tractor units with a steered pusher or trailing axle for heavy-duty distribution applications requiring exceptional yard manoeuvrability, rated up to 50 t GCW. The FAS Electric was a 6×2 rigid with a trailing axle, intended for tipper bodies and demountable container systems, rated up to 28 t GVW. The FAT Electric was a 6×4 rigid with tandem driven rear axles, while the FAW Electric provided this in an 8×4 format. They were aimed at heavy-duty applications in the construction sector.
A sizeable share of electric truck production took place at the Leyland factory in Britain. This was concentrated on the smaller XB types and the more complex FTG, FTN, FAT and FAW machines. Output was estimated at around 500 to 750 units a year by 2026, out of a total factory tally of around 16,000.
Dennis Eagle
Dennis and Eagle are two long-established names in municipal vehicles which were merged in the 1970s when both companies became part of the Hestair Group. However there was no longstanding interest in electric vehicles. Dennis Eagle, now based on one site in Warwick, became part of the Dutch Terberg RosRoca company in 2016.
The battery-powered e-Collect was a development from Dennis Eagle’s Elite range of three axle refuse collectors. The prototype was displayed at a trade show in Germany in 2018, and production began in late 2020 with the first two examples going to Nottingham City Council. Further early vehicles went to Cambridge, Dundee and Islington in London. Oxford and York were also prospects.
The basis of the eCollect was the 6×2 rear-steer Elite Narrow chassis fitted with a 19 cubic metre Olympus Narrow body and a Terberg automatic split bin lift. The 300 kWh battery provided energy to a 200 kW motor and a PTO to drive the refuse handling equipment. The power train layout was fairly traditional. With no pressure to achieve a low floor line, the traction motor sat inside the chassis in the wheelbase, and the battery panniers were slung off the chassis between the front and second axles.
One design priority was giving the e-Collect a driving feel as close to that of its diesel-powered cousins as possible. Drivers are said to particularly like the high torque from rest which enables the rounds to be covered more quickly.
https://www.dennis-eagle.co.uk/
DFSK
The DFSK was the first brand to be marketed in the UK by Innovation Automotive, which announced it early in 2022. The make was from China and the target market appeared to be small firms and individual tradespeople, rather than fleets.
The EC35 model’s 1,015 kg payload was competitive but the 166 miles range fell a bit short of mainstream rivals, as did the internal cargo volume of 4.8 cu m. A road test by EV Powered concluded that whilst the EC35 had plenty of driver-friendly features like air conditioning and wi-fi, the road performance lagged behind that of vehicles from major European OEMs.
https://www.innovation-automotive.co.uk/
Electra
Electra is a British company, established in 2017 and based in Blackburn, which started out converting diesel-powered Dennis Eagle and Mercedes-Benz refuse collection vehicles to an all-electric specification. Operators include the City of London, which has employed a three axle Mercedes unit with a gross weight of 26 tonnes. This had a 250 km range and the ability to run the power take-off (for tasks like compressing the refuse load) across a nine hour shift.
In 2021 the firm was offering conversions to products built by DAF, Iveco and MAN. Possible configurations included a low entry 26 tonne GVW refrigerated vehicle with underslung tail lift, and a 26 tonne builders merchant delivery truck with on-board crane. At the lighter end of the spectrum, Eagle offered conversions of a 7.5t Isuzu chassis, including a dry freight box with tail lift and a utility dropside tipper.
Its focus was to take glider chassis from major OEMs and fit its own electric traction and control equipment. This meant that the OEM built a chassis designed to accept these components, without a diesel driveline. The Electra design was approved by the OEM, and the vehicle benefited from the highly engineered base vehicle with all its well-proven features, like roadholding, steering and braking systems. It offered vehicles based on Dennis-Eagle, Isuzu, Iveco, Mercedes-Benz glider chassis – spanning gross weights from 7.5 t to 44 t.
A popular model was the 12.5 tonne eCargo, based on a glider chassis cab from Iveco and available in a choice of wheelbases. The motor sat inside the frame, with the batteries carries in panniers within the wheelbase. The motor had a nominal rating of 155 kW, and a maximum output of 255 kW, while the battery could be specified from 140 kWh to 280 kWh, depending on the required combination of payload and range. The body and payload could be from 6.775 to 7.910 t.
Dennis Eagle built narrow width refuse collection vehicles as standard, but had customers who wanted full width machines. For them it supplied gliders to Electra who created full-width RCVs, fitted with wider Dennis Eagle cabs.
Vehicles were in service with, among others, councils in Brighton, Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow, City of London (through Veolia), Manchester (through BIFFA), North Lanarkshire, Stockton-on-Tees, as well as haulage operators like Eddie Stobart. The majority of these were refuse collectors, but a growing share were cargo carriers.
Electra lorries could be leased to customers through its partner company NRG Riverside, which has been actively promoting the range from its base in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire. Its association with NRG meant that development vehicles could be run in friendly fleets to pick up operating data and real-life working experience, revealing the kinds of problems which often do not show up in a laboratory or on a test track.
For example, from late 2020 a 19 t Electra SEIV 19-350 (based on the Iveco Euro Cargo) went round the UK demonstrating its capability as a fully electric temperature-controlled truck. It ran for a time with Gregory’s Distribution on behalf of Brew Dog, the former Aberdeen-based brewer. This was one of a fleet of four temperature-controlled vehicles, including an articulated unit, all fitted with Thermo King Frigoblock refrigeration systems, optimised for battery electric applications.
In April 2021 Electra delivered a 27 t long-wheelbase curtain-side truck to CCF, a subsidiary of Travis Perkins. It would be used to deliver interior building products in west and central London from a base in Harmondsworth. It featured a low-slung cab to improve drivers’ visibility of cyclists and other vulnerable road users. It could be charged from a 32 amp or faster 63 amp supply using an on-board charger.
Electra focused on producing customer-specific vehicles, so acquisition was more like a project rather a straight purchase transaction. This meant that a vehicle development was often financed through project stage payments, rather than borrowing. This approach enabled it to create a novel electric vehicle transmission and rear axle assembly in association with Cummins Meritor.
https://www.electracommercialvehicles.com/
Electric Van Company
The Electric Van Company launched its CitySprint model in 2026. The vehicle was built in Clitheroe, Lancashire, from parts sourced globally. EVC acquired the rights to the Jonway machine and made significant changes to the design. These included a different battery, right hand drive and air conditioning as standard. Further enhancements were made to optimise the vehicle for sale in Britain, Malta, Cyprus and Caribbean markets.
The target application was inner city distribution, where nimbleness and compactness were more important than a high payload. The basic vehicle was 1,440 mm wide and 3,700 mm long.
The 20 kW motor was powered by a 23 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, giving a promised range of up to 120 miles and a top speed of 46 mph. Payload could be from 500 to 600 kg depending on the kind of body fitted. Optional bodies included a cargo box, refrigerated box, pick-up, tipper, flatbed or the vehicle could be bought as a chassis-cab for third party body provision.
Technically, the City Sprint was an L7e heavy quadricycle rather than an N1 van, although the cab showed no evidence of pedals.
ELM Mobility
In 2024 Prodrive and Astheimer Design formed a partnership to develop and market a novel electric delivery van, optimised for last-mile delivery work. The vehicle was slated for production from 2028. The idea was that it would offer L1 cargo space (2 Euro pallets) and payload (500 kg) but fall with the L7e quadricycle regulations – meaning it could be driven on an ordinary car licence.
At 3.24 m long and 1.45 m wide, it would be much shorter and more compact too. Its height of 2.15 m would permit 4 cu m of load volume.
Weighing just 850 kg complete with 20 kWh battery, it would have a 100 mile nominal range and be able to reach 50 mph. The cab would be single-seated and pretty basic, but designed for getting in and out swiftly and easily.
Both companies had been heavily involved with the development of the ill-fated Volta Zero truck.
Everrati
Everrati is one of a number of British companies specialising in taking older ICE-powered vehicles and converting them to battery electric drive. It based in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire.
It set up Everrati Advanced Technologies (EAT) as a division of the business to develop an electric platform that could be used in brand new or converted road vehicles. EAT worked with clients to help design the electric drive system (hardware and software) and then create the exact configuration for the application. The propulsion system could be laid out in various ways, depending on the host vehicle, and can support front-, rear- or all-wheel drive.
In 2022 Everrati joined with Hobson Industries (which specialised in restoring more prestigious older cars) to convert old Land Rovers to electric drive. These could be destined for personal, commercial or security applications. In the last case, the inherent quietness of the vehicle would add a stealth capability. In fact, Everatti had already converted a Land Rover Mark IIA. The conversions were thoroughly engineered, including cold weather testing in the United States.
The converted Land Rovers had EAT electric power trains. The 60 kWh battery powered a 150 bhp motor providing 300 Nm of torque, and a range of up to 150 miles. And of course, that power train had to stand up to the rigours of off-road driving. 88 inch and 109 inch versions were offered, and conversions could be made to any generation of Land Rover from the original through to the last Defenders.
e-One
Based in Dursley, Gloucestershire, Refuse Vehicle Solutions is a company that specialises in supplying refuse collection vehicles of all kinds to customers throughout the UK. Its offerings included remanufactured vehicles which had been brought back to as-new condition, with the addition of more modern features and equipment.
In September 2020 RVS announced the e-One. This was a remanufacturing package to convert diesel-powered RCVs to battery electric power. The first example went to Recycling Partnership, based in Crawley.
The electric drivetrain of the e-One was supplied by EMOSS, a Dutch company, and the base vehicle was a 6 x 2 Dennis-Eagle. A top speed of 56 mph was claimed, which is going some for a bin wagon.
https://www.refusevehiclesolutions.co.uk/
Farizon
Farizon is a brand of the Chinese automaker Geely, and came to the UK in 2025. The first model on offer was the SV panel van. It featured a choice of three lengths and three heights, with a payload of between 1.1 and 1.3 t. The body volume could be from 6.9 up to 13 cubic metres.
A 67 or 83 kWh battery could be specified, and a range of up to 225 miles was promised. An innovative feature was drive-by-wire technology on the accelerator, brakes and steering, which was claimed to add 5% to the range.
The following year, Farizon launched the V7E in Britain. This was a less sophisticated companion to the SV, intended to appeal to a broader market. It still retained the drive-by-wire features, but was offered in just one configuration – L1H1. But the 148 bhp motor was smaller, but still able to propel the V7E up to 75 mph. So were the batteries, with a choice of 50 kWh (giving a range of 149 miles) or 67 kWh (ging a range of 204 miles).
Pricing was set at between £28,000 and £30,500 ex VAT. The cargo space offered 6.95 cubic metres of payload volume and it could carry up to 1,338 kg. The body had a sliding side door and a hinged pair of rear doors. The floor height was 500 mm.
In the cab was a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen including a 360-degree surround view monitor, keyless entry and start, and plenty of adjustment to the driver’s seat.
Both the SV and the V7E had 100kW DC charging, which could boost the battery from 20-80% full in less than 20 minutes. And they both had a 220V AC socket in the load area to supply current to power tools and other appliances.
Fellten
The Australian company Jaunt and the British firm Zero EV merged in 2022 to create Fellten. This operation would convert Land Rovers, Porsches and Minis to electric drive, and its markets were the UK, Australia and North America. One example was a 1993 Land Rover. Each conversion was custom-designed so that the battery box was shaped to fit where the ICE engine sat.
Fellten progressed being a manufacturer and supplier of energy storage and battery systems.
Fiat
See under Sevel and Stellantis.