Luxembourg / China – At the CV Show 2024, held between 23-25 April at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, EV manufacturer B-ON GmbH of Luxembourg announced a joint venture with Chinese car manufacturer Chery Automobile Co. Ltd, based in Wuhu, China. The companies will develop, produce and sell all-electric commercial vehicles, starting with the Pelkan electric light commercial vehicle in mid-2024. B-On will contribute the majority of the product design, engineering development and R&D taking place in Coventry, UK, with Chery handling the production in China. T&BB interviewed Boris Pilichowski, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at B-On Group, who informed us that the partnership was a perfect union, with Chery having the necessary manufacturing base to support mass-market demand.

The Pelkan electric light commercial vehicle (eLCV) features a payload of 1350kgs and a battery configuration of either 43 or 54 kWh providing a range of up to 226 and 279 km respectively. The vehicle was designed to be more ergonomic for drivers and thus more cost-competitive for business owners than comparable offerings in its class. The vehicle will also be equipped with B-ON’s new fleet telematics system “B-ON Connect”. This software was developed in-house in Switzerland. The vehicle will be available in right-hand drive in 2025.