London EV Co (LEVC) has announced that it is due to start trials with potential customers of its new electric van in London in the second half of 2019.

The Coventry-based business is currently in discussion with a number of public-sector fleets about the trials of prototype vehicles, including the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Fire Brigade, both of which have ambitious programmes to introduce zero-emission vehicles.

Earlier this year LEVC (www.levc.com), the manufacturer of the world’s most advanced electric taxi, announced that it would be entering the van market with a zero-emission-capable product that combines 70 years of knowledge of designing vehicles for city streets with a proven electric-vehicle powertrain.

Like the taxi, the van will combine a fully electric powertrain with an economical petrol-powered range-extender, This approach means cleaner vehicles that can not only ‘go the distance’ but also lower running costs.

LEVC has previously announced that its new van is not intended for “last-mile delivery” but for fleets where vehicles undertake demanding duty cycles — for example, over 100 miles a day.

This is a segment currently dominated by one-tonne medium-size diesel vans.