UK firm launches retrofit range-extender for ageing diesel vans

UK-based company Bedeo has launched an electric powertrain for existing diesel vans that enhances their last-mile delivery capability, preserves their diesel range and extends their operating life. 

Comprising a battery pack, a control module and a pair of in-wheel electric motors, it is intended for use in large, 3.5-tonne vans such as the Fiat Ducato and Vauxhall Movano. 

Bedeo plans to retrofit the EV system, which costs from around £25,000, at its production line in France, where the government gives retrofitters an £8000 subsidy per fossil-fuelled vehicle. The motors are made by Protean, a division of Bedeo, and fit inside the rear wheels. 

To preserve the van’s ground clearance, load volume and floor height, the 37kWh battery pack, which yields an electric range of around 72 miles and is partially recharged by braking, is located within the chassis and requires no modifications to the suspension.

Unlike a full hybrid system, which blends both powerplants, the motor in Bedeo’s RE-100 Range Extender system is independent of the engine. 

The van starts in electric mode and can be driven in diesel mode only when the driver stops and selects it. Returning to electric mode can be done on the move by the driver disengaging the gearbox and selecting electric drive. When the vehicle recognises that it’s entering a low-emissions zone, it will automatically prompt the driver to shut down the diesel engine. 

Conversions will be carried out in France because of the country’s subsidy scheme, but Bedeo plans to establish more conversion locations, including in the UK, as demand dictates. 

Bedeo claims its solution, which it calls Reborn Electric, suits bespoke-fitted vans, such as refrigerated ones, that have already been converted at great cost and whose operators can’t afford new, £50,000-plus electric vans.