Electric vehicles are ideal for last-mile delivery services in urban areas. The most recent company to start field trials in this arena is the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), which has begun testing its VN5 prototypes with delivery firm DPD.
Marking the official start of the real-world testing and trial phase for its VN5 van, LEVC is deploying a fleet of prototypes based on its TX platform with a van interior fitted (the platforms are near identical but the TX is a passenger vehicle).
Joerg Hofmann, LEVC CEO, commented, “VN5 is set to revolutionize green logistics and we are looking forward to working with DPD as it puts the vehicle through its paces. Feedback from major business operators will be crucial to the further development of the van as we rapidly move to its launch in Q4 this year.”
The company said its VN5 has sufficient cargo capacity to easily accommodate two Euro-size pallets with a gross payload of over 800kg. It has been built with a large side-loading door (enabling a pallet to be side-loaded) and a 60/40 split door at the rear to make loading and unloading easy for the driver.
Based on the same architecture and eCity range-extender technology as LEVC’s TX electric taxi, the VN5 offers the same electric powertrain with a pure EV range of 63 miles (102km) and with a total flexible range of 301 miles (485km). Like the TX Taxi, VN5 has a very tight turning circle of just 10.1m for unrivalled mobility in busy city environments.
LEVC’s trial phase will take place over the next few months and will see over 25 partners take delivery of the test vehicles, ranging from tool and equipment hire firms to energy suppliers and postal services. These companies have been specifically chosen to put the vehicle through a variety of different use cases.