Arrival has revealed its forthcoming electric van, which is intended to revolutionise the commercial vehicle sector with its “outstanding total cost of ownership and robust design”.

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The fast-growing Anglo-American technology start-up said the new van, which starts UK public road trials this summer, will set a new standard for electric vehicles by excelling across both payload (1,975kg) and cargo volume (2.4m3 per metre in length) at a price comparable with fossil fuel vehicles and with a substantially lower TCO.

It will be available in variants from 5.1m to 6.5m in length to meet requirements and uses a lightweight aluminium frame and proprietary composite body panels, bringing claimed significant reductions in the vehicle’s weight.

“We believe that the rapid growth of e-commerce has led to a much higher demand for light commercial transport in cities, increasing both congestion and air pollution,” said Avinash Ruguboor, president and chief strategy officer of Arrival.

“We are in the midst of an important market transition as more and more fleet managers adopt cleaner and more sustainable methods and cities adopt stricter air quality measures, we are looking to accelerate that transition with a best-in-class solution that has clear benefits, at a purchase price and TCO that makes the transition the best possible commercial decision too.”

Details of the powertrain have not been revealed but the modular battery ranges from 44kWh to 133kWh, enabling the right configuration for range requirements.

The van, which goes into production in Q3 2022, has been developed with driver and fleet operator feedback to maximise functionality for real-world use, including an “elevated” connected experience as well as extensive data and fleet management tools to help optimise the running of a fleet.

The vehicle also uses in-house components and proprietary software that allows real-time health monitoring and predictive maintenance to reduce downtime. Both hardware and software will be able to be upgraded to ensure the vehicle stays current with the latest technology.

Arrival, which is also working on electric buses, said equipment will be focused on a luxury approach and will include heated seating, independent front and rear suspension, full cabin climate control and a 15.6-inch touchscreen interface displaying driving data.

ADAS features available will include digital e-mirrors, a 360-degree surround view, advanced emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition and lane keep assist.

The unveiling of the van follows the January 2020 announcement by UPS that it had ordered 10,000 electric commercial vehicles from Arrival for use in the UK, Europe and North America, and that its venture capital arm had taken an equity stake, believed to be minority, in the firm. Arrival first announced a partnership with UPS to develop electric vehicles in 2016 and last year’s vehicle order and investment was said to accelerate the deployment of fit-for-purpose electric fleets at scale.