Light Commercial Vehicle innovations in May with developments in Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Electric Vehicles.

May has been a busy month for Hydrogen a demonstration vehicle nearing completion, Vauxhall are engaging with business customers on their offering and Peugeot have announced that production of a hydrogen light commercial vehicle has begun. Vauxhall has completed its line up of electric light commercial vehicles, sister companies Citroen and Peugeot have opened their order books for new electric vehicles. MAN are developing solar technology for their electric vans and vehicle specialist VCS are working with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles on a new dual crewed ambulance.

 New Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology demonstrator vehicle nears completion.

The first demonstrator vehicle for a novel new hydrogen fuel cell technology is in development by MAHLE Powertrain. As integration partner to hydrogen fuel cell specialist, Bramble Energy, MAHLE Powertrain is helping to optimise the integration of the company’s Printed Circuit Board Fuel Cell (PCBFC?) technology within the powertrain of a Renault Kangoo ZE. The vehicle, which will be unveiled in 2021, will showcase the reduced-cost, high performance potential of high power density liquid cooled fuel cells.

https://www.mahle-powertrain.com/en/electric-propulsion/

Vauxhall complete line up of electric vehicle range with Large LCV Movano-e

Vauxhall has released the first details and images of the All-New Movano and Movano-e, the first large Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) from the brand to be available as a fully-electric variant. Featuring class-leading load volume, a wide variety of body styles, seating for up to seven and low running costs, both electric and diesel versions will arrive in the UK later this year.

https://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vans/movano/model-overview.html

Citro?n’s new electric e-Relay and Peugeot’s new electric e-Boxer is now available to order

Citro?n’s biggest and most capacious van is now available to order in the UK with a choice of two all-electric drivetrains. The introduction of ?-Relay fulfils the brand's electrification commitment to offer 100% electric versions of each Citro?n LCV by the end of 2021.

https://business.citroen.co.uk/models/relay.html

PEUGEOT has opened reservations for the new e-Boxer van, the brand’s largest full electric Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV). Available to order from 19th May, the PEUGEOT e-Boxer is available with two battery options and comes in three lengths to suit a variety of needs for both business and private users.

https://business.peugeot.co.uk/business-models/boxer.html

Sono Motors and MAN Truck & Bus start working on solar technology for commercial vehicles.

MAN Truck & Bus and Sono Motors have signed a Letter of Intent. The two companies have agreed to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of integrating the Sono Solar technology into MAN's eTGE electric transporter.

Vauxhall has started engaging with business customers about new Vivaro-e HYDROGEN LCV

Vauxhall’s new zero emissions Vivaro-e HYDROGEN light commercial vehicle has a range of up to 249 miles, refuels in just three minutes and a cargo volume up to 6.1m3, the same as the diesel or battery electric versions.

Vauxhall is actively speaking to business customers in the UK about hydrogen fuel cell and expects right-hand drive vehicles to arrive in 2023. Sister brand Opel plans to start delivering the first left-hand drive vehicles to fleet customers in autumn/winter 2021. The Vivaro-e HYDROGEN will be assembled at Vauxhall/Opel’s Research and Development Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

PEUGEOT begins production of new e-Expert Hyrdogen

Further exploring its ambitions to drastically reduce the emissions of its vehicles, PEUGEOT has become one of the very first manufacturers to produce an electric model in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment that is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.

The new PEUGEOT e-Expert Hydrogen has become the latest model to fulfil PEUGEOT’s "power of choice" promise, which gives customers the option to choose a powertrain best suited to their needs without compromising on capability. As PEUGEOT’s first fuel cell vehicle, the e-Expert Hydrogen outlines the brand’s ambitions to offer an electrified vehicle across its entire range by 2025.

The PEUGEOT e-Expert Hydrogen will be available to customers in France and Germany from the end of 2021.

VCS to produce new Volkswagen Crafter Dual Crewed Ambulance

The UK’s market-leading ambulance conversion specialist, VCS, has partnered with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to produce the UK’s first Dual Crewed Ambulance (DCA) based on a Volkswagen Crafter. Using VCS’s ultra-lightweight Core Capture technology, the Volkswagen Crafter promises to have an operational weight of less than 4.0T, without sacrificing the strength, quality, and durability for which both brands are renowned.

https://www.vcs-limited.com/sectors/ambulance/