Morris is making a comeback with this carbon fibre electric van

Fully designed and engineered in Britain, the new BEV light commercial vehicle made its debut appearance at The Design Museum in London, hosted by members of the management team alongside suppliers and investors in the project.

The inspiration and distinctive styling have been taken from the original, iconic Morris J-type van. The original van played an important role in post-war Britan with many iconic brands like Cadbury, John Lewis, OXO and the Royal Mail all using the original J-type. Along with the Mini, the Morris Minor and the Land Rover Defender, it’s one of relatively few truly iconic post-war British automotive designs.

The new JE takes the classic design and brings it up to date in a contemporary and technology-focused package. The new van has a state-of-the-art, fully electric, UK-sourced, lithium-ion battery powertrain. The vehicle benefits from a lightweight, modular chassis, making it highly adaptable for future derivatives, such as a pickup, minibus or camper van.

The combination of an advanced lightweight chassis and a carbon fibre body makes it one of the lightest in its class. The JE has a 1-tonne payload and will accommodate two standard euro sized pallets with access provided via full-width rear doors and a sliding side door. The lightweight construction means that its range is optimised to around 200 miles, making the van an exceptionally practical proposition as an urban commercial vehicle.

It is a delight to unveil the new Morris JE to the world and for us to show what we have been working so hard to achieve. From the outset, our vision was to bring a new concept to the LCV market, not just in terms of the battery-electric powertrain, but also to introduce a timeless design that takes the aesthetics and appeal of such a vehicle to a whole new level. What we have created is a beautiful, retro design that sits upon a cutting-edge, modular BEV platform, delivering practicality and functionality to compete with the best in its segment. Dr Qu Li, CEO and Founder of Morris Commercial

Production on the new Morris JE van is expected to begin in late 2021 with prices starting at approximately £60,000.