B–ON Pelkan electric van showcased at Japan Mobility Show

B–ON’s Pelkan electric van is being exhibited for the first time at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo.

B–ON’s Pelkan is a long range electric light commercial vehicle designed for urban last mile delivery, expected to be available from 2024 in both 43 and 54 kWh battery variants.

The Pelkan eLCV shown at the show is equipped with a prototype of B–ON’s smart package dispenser technology. The GPS-controlled smart system removes the need to sequence items when loading and shortens drop time by automatically detecting the correct package at each delivery address. Outgoing and return packages can be added to the system at any customer location. Smart Dispenser’s ergonomic design is optimised for access height and easy shelf reach, while curbside-only access ensures safety.

B–ON estimates that the Smart Dispenser saves time on each delivery thanks to faster parcel loading and retrieval.

The smart dispenser will be available both as an optional add-on to the Pelkan or as a separate add-on to be fitted to other vehicles, starting from Q2 2024.

What's more, B–ON and Mobility in Harmony (MIH) have announced a partnership to provide shared solutions for fleet customers.

Mobility in Harmony (MIH) is an open EV development platform initiated by multinational electronics manufacturer Foxconn, officially established in 2021 and including software giants like Microsoft.

Bruno Lambert, CEO of B–ON, said: “At B–ON, our goal is to create more SPACE in cities by making fleets, vehicles and their drivers the most productive for fast growing commercial transportation. And there is simply no way that any one player in this industry can bring that reality to life alone. MIH’s open platform approach is a critical development for meaningfully moving our transportation systems forward. I predict that this is only the beginning of a much larger symbiotic cooperation between us.”

Jack Cheng, CEO of MIH said: “MIH and B–ON are strongly aligned in our shared vision for shaping the future of urban mobility through EVs, cutting-edge software, and service innovations that enhance productivity for B2B customers,” said Jack Cheng, CEO of MIH. “We are eager to explore synergies and maximize business opportunities harnessing the strengths of each other's products and services in this rapidly evolving space.”