New electric van to bring 21st century take on Morris J-type

Morris Commercial has published a latest teaser image of its forthcoming Morris JE, which revives the iconic Morris J-type van as a 21st century electric commercial vehicle.

The new Morris JE is the first in a series of electric vehicles from Morris Commercial

The UK-based automotive engineering and manufacturing start-up has secured the rights to the Morris Commercial brand name and is seeking to reimagine the iconic British brand with a series of all-electric vehicles, leading with the introduction of the new Morris JE.

Designed and engineered in Britain, the full battery-electric commercial vehicle has been designed for multiple business and consumer applications, blending elements of the retro styling of the J-type with a lightweight, modular chassis that can be adapted for other models and a complete carbon fibre body, said to make it one of the lightest LCVs in the marketplace as well as offering outstanding power to weight efficiency.

The full-electric, lithium-ion battery powertrain will offer a long range, according to the firm, although no technical details have been revealed yet.

A fully operational and road-tested engineering prototype will be unveiled later in the autumn

A fully operational and road-tested engineering prototype will be unveiled later in the autumn, with the final version expected to appeal to both large and small businesses focused on the environment, as well as those seeking a distinctive vehicle that provide fantastic promotional opportunities with real-world commercial capabilities.

The original Morris J-type was first introduced in 1948 at Earls Court, London, and was exported around the world to over 22 countries, with many still in use today as ice cream vans and for food retailing.

Dr Qu Li, the CEO and founder of Morris Commercial, said: “As a business we are committed to environmental sustainability and we are trailblazing a new approach to the production of appealing, fully electric commercial vehicles. We are very excited to unveil the JE to the public this autumn.”

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Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day. Natalie edits all the Fleet World websites and newsletters, and loves to hear about any latest industry news - or gossip.