Last year, we reported on a new electric vehicle start-up called Electric Last Mile Solutions (ELMS), which plans to launch a new battery-electric utility van in the United States in late 2021 called the UD-1. Information on the company was scarce at the time, but we’re now getting a better idea of its future plans after it announced this week it had already received 45,000 pre-orders for the UD-1.
The UD-1 is based on an existing Class 1 commercial van platform that is manufactured in China by a company called Chongqing Sokon Industry Group Stock Co Ltd. The van will use a battery supplied by Chinese manufacturer CATL, which should provide a theoretical driving range of around 150 miles. Prices start at $32,500 before the $7,500 federal tax credit.
ELMS CEO Jim Taylor told Bloomberg this week that the company had already received 45,000 pre-orders for the UD-1. Production of the van will take place at the former Hummer plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, which ELMS acquired from Sokon Industry Group for an undisclosed sum.
The ELMS UD-1 will be the only electric van operating in the Class 1 space in the United States. Other proposed electric vans, like the Ford E-Transit, are larger than the UD-1 and have a maximum payload of up to 10,000 lbs. This could be advantageous for ELMS, as it will have no direct Class 1 rivals in North American once it enters production in the third quarter of this year. This also reduces the purchasing cost of the UD-1 – which will sell for just $25,000 with federal incentives factored into the price.
“When we’re selling this at $25,000 and the gasoline version is $25,000, there’s not a penalty anymore,” Taylor told Bloomberg. “With electricity, it’s 30% cheaper to run than the gasoline version.”
General Motors is developing its own electric last mile delivery van in the way of the BrightDrop EV600, however the EV600 is Class 2 van and is much larger than the UD-1. The EV600 will begin rolling off the assembly line at GM’s CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario later this year, with the first examples to be delivered to FedEx.
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Comments
I don’t know about performance but looks like it’s coming straight out of 90s, so utterly corny and trashy with today’s standards, EV600 is Starship Enterprise next to this monstrosity.
Does that matter for a delivery van?
Anyway, if they can pull this off at such and incredibly low price, it’s going to be extremely hard for GM to compete.
Assuming it actually gets made.
Agreed, the Front-End design is already looking dated.
This really looks intelligent. They must be using somebody else’s taillights and other off the shelf componentry which will drive down costs. It’s a service vehicle so cost matters. The good and the bad is that CATL battery pack. IMO, they are building market as fast as possible. Would rather see a local sourced power but again, the costs would be higher. This is exactly where there is a market for EVs. Now if we could get something like the Morris EV J-van here…
It looks like an inflation of battery electric delivery vans, most presented by completely unknown statups with no manufacturing experience.
BTW, where can I look up what is meant with those classes like „Class 1 commercial van“ or Class 2 etc?
On en.wikipedia.org I did not find anything reasonable, in my view.
Yeah don’t worry the tax payers will just pay the cost difference between gas and electric versions.
Taxpayers supporting China, sounds like a Biden deal.
Whoever disliked your comment also dislikes America.
These little European-looking vans look like they are made to deliver little babies and diapers.
The New American Way. Buy Third World vehicles from Chun King Sukonit Industry Group, assemble them in an old American factory repatriated from Sukonit Industry Group and you now have the lowest cost (read: likely best selling) electric van in America. “Class 1” probably means exempt from all conventional safety standards, so Chinese vehicles intentional lack thereof becomes yet another cost saving benefit! Why not? In these thoroughly morally bankrupt times, your average supporter of the new “Administration” would gladly sell Granny into the s3x trades if they could earn a few extra bucks off her annoying wrinkled a$$ besides not having to listen to her b!tching about Cardi D and Chunky Three Stallion’s epic gutter dragging Grammy performance. We’ve finally reached our entertainment zenith, bruh AND I’m bringing in extra cash pimping out Meemaw!
As we bear witness to our rapid and merciless gl0balist driven economic and cultural free fall, this could be considered (albeit pessimistically) a minor victory for the good ‘ol USSA.
Besides I disagree with your selfpity lament and what you imagine — fact is, that nothing is eternal, not even the US empire and her unchallenged dictatorial rule over humanity.
China has 4 times the population of USA. Facts matter.