EV engineered down from a van

British company Electric Assisted Vehicles (EAV) has launched the EAV 2Cubed eCargo ultra-lightweight commercial vehicle.

Described by the company as having been “engineered down from a van rather than up from a bicycle”, the EAV 2Cubed has a completely separate chassis-cab unit allowing multiple options for the vehicle’s rear. 

EAV’s objective is to provide city-based logistics, food and drink delivery, facilities maintenance, utilities businesses and even tradespeople with a more efficient, cheaper and far healthier form of commercial transport.

Fitted to the rear of the new EAV pictured here is the new 2Cubed fixed box which offers two cubic metres of load volume with a fully adaptable internal shelving system

EAV says the advent of electric bike technology “has meant we can now use a bio-mechanical electric hybrid vehicle, like the EAV 2Cubed, to replace most vans and even cars in urban environments without any loss in business operational efficiency or discomfort to the operator or driver”.

EAV says the 2Cubed can carry 20% of the capacity of a diesel Ford Transit van.  “For direct comparison, Transport for London research has confirmed that 40% of vans, such as the ubiquitous Transit, only use on average 25% of their capacity, making the new EAV 2Cubed a real alternative,” says EAV founder Adam Barmby.

The 2Cubed’s maximum payload is 150kg (plus rider) but a soon to be announced wheel and tyre package will significantly increase weight-carrying capacity.

“The new EAV chassis-cab and 2Cubed fixed box is a big step forward for alternative lightweight commercial goods vehicles in towns and cities,” says Barmby.

“We can honestly see a time when the majority of urban commercial and even personal traffic is based on the EAV chassis-cab concept and we already have a solution to almost every road transport use conceivable.”

EAV has begun building the 2Cubed at its factory near Oxford in England.