London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), the once-famous London taxi cab manufacturer now owned by Geely Group, has launched the production of its first premium electric van, the L380. Car News China highlights that it will enjoy an international release.
The first vans are already being assembled at the same factory in Zhejiang Province, China, where TX taxis are also being made (see video). LEVC previewed the finalized design of its van against an Airbus A380 sitting in the background, claiming that the design department drew inspiration from the plane when they sought to maximize the interior space.
Do not be surprised to see that the first L380 made has its steering wheel on the left-hand side. The company admitted that it had other priorities to meet before shipping any vans to its origin country, the UK. The first RHD vans will go into production in a few years.
The L380 debuted in late 2023 as an eight-seater electric van designed to compete with the Denza D9, Li Mega, Maxus Mifa 9, Xpeng X9, and Zeekr 009 in China. It is 5,316 mm long, 1,998 mm wide, 1,980 mm tall and has 3,185 mm between the axles.
It runs on a platform called SOA (Space Oriented Architecture) and uses a single electric motor rated at 272 PS (268 hp / 200 kW). The top speed is capped at 170 km/h (105 mph). Customers can choose from two battery sizes – 100 and 116 kWh. Their respective range ratings are 570 and 675 km (354 and 382 miles).