Four electric versions of the Maxus V80 van will be unveiled at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover this month.
The van manufacturer, known as LDV when acquired by Chinese giant SAIC Motor in 2011, will also announce details of a new European strategy at its press conference on the first day of the show, 19th September.
The EV80 models will be displayed in panel van, high panel van, chassis cab and wheelchair-accessible formats.
Two-hour charge
All use a plug-in drivetrain, powered by a lithium-ion battery and offering a quoted range between charges of up to 200km (124 miles). All will allow either AC or DC charging, taking two hours with the latter.
Maxus states that the EV80 is the only fully electric van of its class on European roads and that the technology is proven, the brand having sold electric vehicles for Asian markets for several years.
The EV80 is already on sale in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, with other European markets, including the UK, to follow. The brand is promising to announce a number of major fleet supply agreements shortly.
Standard panel van versions of the EV80 offer a cargo area length of 3.3m, width of 1.77m and height of 1.71m, or 1.92m with the high-roof variant.
950kg capacity
Total cargo volume is 10.2m3Â (high roof 11.5m3), accessible through wide-opening rear and side doors. Maximum payload capacity is 950kg (915kg). Chassis cab variants can be built to suit individual customer specifications.
Standard specification on the EV80 includes air conditioning, electric windows, ABS and heated and electrically adjustable side mirrors while rear parking sensors and a 10-inch infotainment screen are on the options list.
Managing Director of SAIC Mobility Europe, Pieter Gabriëls, believes the range, lack of emissions and short charging time of the EV80 will make it an ideal solution for businesses operating large vans.
“We help them to reduce fleet operations costs while cutting their carbon footprint to meet increasingly strict emissions regulations in European cities,” Â he says.
