Worcestershire-based Morris Commercial, an automotive engineering and manufacturing start-up, will soon be unveiling its new electric light commercial vehicle (LCV), the Morris JE.

Sporting a ‘state of the art’ lithium-ion battery powertrain, the new vehicle is described as a ‘premium product with a distinct styling, comprehensive functionality and a practical driving range’.

With a lightweight modular chassis and a carbon fibre body, it is one of the lightest LCVs on the market.

The original Morris J-type has long been seen as an iconic British van.

First introduced in 1948, it was the archetypal ‘big’ little van, with a ground-breaking ‘load capacity to footprint’ ratio and charming styling that meant it was used in many promotional and advertising campaigns.

Exported to over 22 countries around the world, the original van achieved international recognition, and today many are still in use as ice cream vans and for food retailing.

The new electric vehicle takes the essence of the original design and re-imagines it as a sustainable vehicle for the 21st century, with modern styling.

The project, which has been led by a team of established automotive designers and engineers, has been a well-kept secret during the development phase, which has now resulted in a fully operational engineering prototype.

Qu Li, CEO and founder of Morris Commercial (www.morris-commercial.com), said: “I am so pleased to reach this stage after over two years of intense development.

"We still have a little way to go to bring the project to full production, but we have the team and the product to make this an enormous success.

"We are committed to environmental sustainability, and we are trailblazing a new approach to the production of appealing and fully electric commercial vehicles.”