This London taxi-based commercial van by LEVC costs a fortune

London Electric Vehicle Company, which is a part of Geely, has unveiled a commercial van it designed and built based on the chassis and hybrid powertrain of its own TX model. At over £50,000, the new LEVC LCV is the single most expensive commercial van on the market.

Technically, the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a series drivetrain. Despite the forbidding price tag, the London fire and police departments have actually pre-ordered a bunch of these for municipal purposes. As the self-proclaimed international leader of innovation in the area of environmental protection, the capital of Great Britain spares no expense switching its municipal sector from traditional cars to hybrids and all-electric vehicles.

The LEVC TX, which provides the base for the new LCV, is a hackney carriage that sports a roomy neoclassical body and rides on Volvo’s SPA chassis. Its all-electric range amounts to a humble 50 kilometers (31 miles). The LEVC LCV van sports an extended wheelbase and a 33 kWh battery rated at 130 km (80 miles) of all-electric range. Its total range therefore amounts to 607 km (377 miles). The battery draws its power from a 82hp (61kW) gasoline engine, and in turn powers an electric motor that sends 150 hp (112 kW) to the wheels. The nominal cargo capacity is 600 kilograms (1,322 lbs).

LEVC intends to build up a whole range of commercial vehicles in the foreseeable future.

Photos: autocar.co.uk