LEVC Starts Sales of L380 Electric Van
LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company), known for its iconic London taxis and a subsidiary of the Chinese Geely Group, has launched its latest electric van, the L380, in China. The company plans to bring the model to the UK market within the next two years.
The L380, first unveiled in January, is priced starting at 379,900 yuan (approximately 48,800 euros) in China, with the most expensive variant costing 479,900 yuan (around 61,700 euros). Production of the L380 takes place in China, with global export as part of the plan. LEVC intends to reveal the final specifications for markets outside of China within the coming months.
This electric vehicle is approximately 5.30 meters long and offers seating configurations for either six or eight passengers. The name “380” is intended to convey the spaciousness of the model. The manufacturer has stated that the EV will provide an interior experience “like in an Airbus A380.” According to LEVC, the design inspiration for the L380 draws from the world of luxury aviation, incorporating flexible seating and premium touches like first-class-style chairs upholstered in soft, fine semi-aniline leather, which can be folded down for sleeping.
“The start of sales in China for our innovative new L380 luxury MPV marks one of the most momentous occasions in LEVC’s history,” said LEVC CEO Alex Nan. “Our brand is rapidly accelerating its transition from manufacturing the world’s most advanced and iconic taxi, to becoming a leading e-mobility technology company and, with that, we are building on our place within the Geely Holding Group, maximising the Group’s research and development capabilities, global supply chain and manufacturing resources to enable us to meet our ambitious targets.”
He added, “L380 meets demand for flexible, multi-occupant, multi-purpose pure electric luxury vehicles, launching LEVC into an entirely new sector. As with all our products, L380 takes inspiration from the company’s rich history, combined with the vast resources and technical innovation of the Geely Holding Group. The start of sales sees our momentum advance, setting us on the path to bringing cutting edge zero-emission transportation to more customers than ever before.”
The L380 is the first model to be built upon the company’s Space Oriented Architecture (SOA) EV platform, jointly developed with Geely. This platform will serve as the foundation for future LEVC vehicle range expansions, introducing innovations in range, efficiency, safety, charging time, durability, and connectivity.
The SOA platform is a modified version of Geely’s SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform. It has been specifically optimized for commercial vehicles. The SEA platform is used in other models, including the Smart #1 as well as the large Zeekr 009 and Volvo EM90 vans, all of which are comparable to the LEVC L380. However, while they can be purchased for personal use, LEVC primarily targets fleet customers, such as transport services.
