Electric vehicles

All-electric light commercial vehicles from Smith Electric Vehicles (Smith) are now eligible for a new UK government subsidy. The Department for Transport (DfT) has approved the Smith Edison, for its new Plug-In Van Grant. This means that any business purchasing the Smith Edison 3.5t all-electric vehicle can now benefit from £8,000 off the list price. Manufactured in Washington, Tyne & Wear, the Smith Edison approved for the Plug-In Van Grant has a gross vehicle weight of 3.5t. It is available as a panel van and as a chassis cab suitable for a diverse range of bodies, including drop side, tipper, box and refrigerated box. The vehicle has a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries, which can be fully recharged in as little as four hours. Smith is one of seven manufacturers to have its all-electric light commercial vehicles approved for the Plug-In Van Grant. The company last week announced it had signed a letter of intent for a $25 million (£15.7m) investment and a $75m (£47.3m) joint venture with Wanxiang Group, China’s largest auto-parts maker. Smith Electric Vehicles Corp.  develops, produces and sells zero-emission commercial electric vehicles that are designed to be an alternative to traditional diesel trucks, providing higher efficiency and lower total cost of ownership. Smith's vehicle designs leverage more than 80 years of market knowledge from selling and servicing electric vehicles in the United Kingdom. Smith Electric Vehicles produces the Newton and the Edison. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Kansas City, Missouri, and outside of Newcastle, UK. For more information visit www.smithelectric.com.