Like cars and SUVs, light commercial vehicles are gradually moving into the electric era, something which allows new players to step into the game. Coolon Motors from Ukraine has presented their first fully electric LCV which wants to combine an affordable price with a low cost of ownership. The model is based on a modular platform with a low floor. Initially, it will be offered in three different lengths and in three different bodystyles. From the renderings and the early prototypes, we can see a boxy cab-over design with large glass surfaces and flat sides making cargo space and usability the priority.
The LCV will be available in front- and
all-wheel-drive guise with electric motors producing up to 161 hp and 250 Nm of torque allowing a top speed of up to 90 km/h. The lithium-ion phosphate battery modules will consist of many 4 kWh
blocks providing up to 300 km of range. Light commercial vehicles
are all about logistics and managing the downtime so Coolon will equip their
fleet with control units that will monitor the status of every system allowing
remote diagnosis of possible issues. The vehicles will also be capable of
receiving over-the-air updates and ready to integrate autonomous driving
systems.
The target starting price for Coolon’s LCV
is US$ 16,000, which is a pretty optimistic goal for a startup. Their website is
also suggesting a very low cost of ownership calculated at US$ 0.07 per km. The
company has already started taking pre-orders for a limited series of 2,000
units, offering discounts for large orders. Coolon wants to produce their LCV
in Ukraine starting from 2022, with an initial capacity of up to 2,000 units
per year. By 2024-2025, and with the help of a US$ 50 million investment, they
want to increase production output to 20,000 LCVs per year, making them
available for export to global markets.
