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LDV Group Developing Electric Version of MAXUS Commercial Van
16 April 2008
LDV Group, the UK-based manufacturer of the MAXUS range of light commercial vehicles, announced at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham that it is working with Refrigerated Vehicles (UK) Ltd (RVL) to develop an electric-powered version of the MAXUS, to be available as early as June.
RVL, in turn, has been working with Italy’s Micro-Vett Spa to develop a 3,500 kg electric vehicle that could be used for a supermarket’s home delivery operation within central London. RVL is displaying that vehicle at the Commercial Vehicle Show.
LDV also said that it is part of a UK consortium led by motorsport specialist, Prodrive, that is developing a new, more efficient, lower cost DC-DC converter for use in automotive hybrid and electric vehicles.
Russia’s Gaz Group has owned LDV since July 2006.
April 16, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
Another company on the EV bandwagon.
Posted by: Cervus | Apr 16, 2008 9:16:56 AM
Yep. Seems everyone wants a slice of the action now that the concept (of depot-based fleets using EVs) has ben found to work well and save money.
Posted by: Stan Wellaway | Apr 16, 2008 5:05:04 PM
Ditto. And that concept has proved to work even with old style Molten Salt batteries troubled with high self-discharge and an inability to operate for 30 hours or so if the batteries has been unplugged for a while. This concept should be importantly more viable with the new lithium batteries that Smith just (about this month) introduced for their entire fleet of commercial EVs. Lithium batteries has no important self-discharge and they can be used instantly even if they have been unplugged for a while. This should make the new lithium based concept much more attractive. Can’t wait to see how it will sell. The Lego like battery systems offered by Valance should also make it very easy to integrate these lithium based batteries in commercial vehicles of all sizes. I think Valance will announce more customers like Smith before year end.
Posted by: Henrik | Apr 17, 2008 1:06:23 AM
