Vinyl records and flared jeans aren’t the only trends making a comeback – retro-style vehicles are hitting the production line, but how many consumers are interested?
British-based EV startup Morris Commercial plans to begin production of the Morris JE, a retro-style van, in 2024. The company has worked for years to complete funding and is now in the validation and certification stages. It also completed a production prototype in 2022, with prototypes traveling around the UK for testing.
The Morris JE resembles a 1940s-panel delivery truck, at least on the exterior. It features a battery-electric powertrain, an aluminum chassis and a recycled carbon-fiber body. It has a 2,204-pound payload and 229 cubic feet of capacity. On a full charge, it has a range of 250 miles.
Who will buy it? Morris Commercial expects to sell the delivery van to small and medium businesses, especially those businesses that would benefit from making deliveries in such a memorable vehicle–perhaps a bakery, or a food truck? The Morris JE would certainly catch my attention if it pulled up nearby.
The Morris JE will start at £60,000, or about $73,000. It will not be the only electric van offering in the UK when sales begin, and sales could depend on tax incentives from municipalities or national governments to offset the high price. It is not expected to be sold in the U.S., which is a shame. While we have options such as the Ford E-Transit and the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, nothing offers the charm or style of the Morris JE.
