Electric Assisted Vehicles Limited have launched a globally ground-breaking new single platform eCargo model, the EAVcab. The EAVcab is a chassis cab development from the EAVan Ultra lightweight Commercial Vehicle (ULCV) which can now be supplied to the customer with just the chassis structure and the front cab. This provides a highly versatile vehicle capable of having multiple body conversions fitted to the rear chassis.
There are two ladder structure chassis variants, the medium and the long wheelbase. Weight capability remains the same as the EAVan at 120kgs payload plus 100kgs for the rider. A heavy duty version will be available by the Summer of 2020 for loads up to 350kgs with increased braking and power regeneration capability harnessing the kinetic energy of the entire vehicle. All EAVcabs are limited to a standard EU 15mph (25kmh) speed limit and are fitted with EAV’s unique ‘e-nertia’ switch for pre-pedal hill starts and pull-aways up to 3.7mph (6kmh).
“We’ve looked closely at what’s happening to commercial vehicle transport right now in towns and cities all over the world,” commented Adam Barmby, founder and Technical Director of EAV. “The clear political and public interest direction is to reduce or remove cars and vans from urban environments which are currently the most affected by air and particulate pollution. We looked at how light commercial vehicles are built and utilised and how EAV could replace as many of them as possible providing a cleaner, quieter and less congested environment with minimal damage to city infrastructure and without any change in efficiency, in fact, we believe efficiency will significantly improve.”
The EAVcab is a purpose-built, zero-emissions, environmentally-focused quadracycle which measures 2m long (in short wheelbase form) by 1m wide, weighs 120kg and can carry a 120kg payload. The EAVcab can cover a range of up to 60 miles in a day and then be recharged using a normal 13amp, 240v plug socket. Batteries can also be swapped to keep the EAVcab in constant use but are fully re-charged in under 6 hours.
Body conversions include: rear box units of 2m³, 3m³ and 4m³ with multiple access door configurations; Temperature controlled units with both chiller (6°C) and freezer (-16°C) box units in varying sizes; Dropside; Flatbed; Livestock; Curtainside; Refuse and plastic collection cages; Rapid Response medic unit; RoRo load box and even a Beavertail for transporting/collecting bicycles and other small vehicles. The EAVcab is also perfect as a vendor vehicle for selling sandwiches and snacks, drinks, coffee and ice creams with unique purpose-built body conversions. The limitation is only set by the required use of the ULCV.
“The EAVcab gives EAV a real technical advantage in dealing with urban pollution and congestion.” stated Nigel Gordon-Stewart, Executive Chairman of EAV. “We can now all but replace light commercial vehicles in urban environments reducing congestion and pollution as well as vehicle costs for operators. For EAV it means we can produce EAVcabs in volume, reducing the production cost and keeping retail prices down. We will operate through an international network of EAV dealers and we’re already looking for dealer representation throughout Europe and in the USA and Canada. The customer will go to the dealer, choose the specification of their EAVcab from stock and then simply select the body conversion to be fitted. Our EAVan panel vans will still be available in short wheelbase form but any medium or long wheelbase EAVans will now be EAVcab box vans as this is a far more efficient way to provide our very effective pollution solution. EAVcabs are already on sale and we have taken a number of orders from blue-chip organisations which we will be satisfying during the first quarter of 2020.”