Arrival reveals electric van taking to public roads

Electric vehicle start-up Arrival has announced its plans for the next phase in the development of its electric van.

The vehicle will take to public roads this summer in trials with a fully electric van for a 1975kg payload and cargo volume of 2.4m3 per metre in length aiming to be commercially available.

The Arrival Van is expected to start full production in Q3 2022. Arrival expects commercial vehicle fleets to migrate to EVs even more quickly than the automotive retail segments due to commercial fleets understanding their range requirements, use in-depot charging and are focused on cost, it said.

The van has been developed alongside drivers and operators to maximise functionality for real world use with the deployment of in-house technologies throughout the vehicle, providing a range of data and fleet management tools to optimise the running of a fleet.

The flexibility provided by the modular battery ranging from 44kWh to 133kWh means operators can choose the battery configuration suited for their range requirements. A lightweight aluminium frame and proprietary composite body panels decrease the weight of the vehicle for greater range efficiency, as well as reduce the frequency and cost of repairs as well as extend the van’s life expectancy.

Arrival’s van aims for a standard of comfort similar to luxury passenger vehicles, including heated seating, suspension, climate control and a touch-screen interface to communicate data from the vehicle directly to the driver with the vehicles designed to maximise the safety and wellbeing of drivers and the public on roads and streets.

Speaking about the trials, president and chief strategy officer at Arrival, Avinash Rugoobur, said: “We believe that the rapid growth of e-commerce has led to a much higher demand for light commercial transport in cities, increasing both congestion and air pollution.

“We are in the midst of an important market transition as more and more fleet managers adopt cleaner and more sustainable methods and cities adopt stricter air quality measures, we are looking to accelerate that transition with a best-in-class solution that has clear benefits, at a purchase price and TCO that makes the transition the best possible commercial decision too.”

  • image courtesy of Arrival

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