New Stellantis factory-fit electric Luton awaiting UK launch date

A new full electric 200-mile Luton van announced this week by Stellantis Pro One has been temporarily put on hold for the UK until some final specification elements have been ironed out.

The van, called a Cargo Box in Europe, is currently available with either barn doors or tail lift factory-fit options; however, the majority of demand from UK fleets is for roller shutters, according to Richard Abbott, head of special vehicle operations, Stellantis UK.

Arnaud Leclerc, global head of Stellantis CustomFit (pictured below), said: “The BEV Cargo Box will be launched just after summer but there are some features that the UK requires. As we do second stage homologation, we have to see what the volume demand is across all the countries. Otherwise, we will leave it to the UK converters.”

When it does arrive, the Luton van – available from all four Stellantis brand models, Citroen Relay, Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Vauxhall Movano - will offer cargo capacity of 18.3m³, with interior dimensions of 4,230mm in length, 2,032mm in width and 2,150mm in height.

It is based on the electric chassis cab version, delivering 410Nm of maximum torque and power output of 200kW, and is paired with a 110kWh battery for a WLTP driving range of up to 323km (200 miles).

For customers needing extra cargo space, the Luton will also be available in the L4 configuration, expanding the cargo volume to 20.5m³ with an internal length of 4,500mm and height of 2,300mm.

The new Luton is part of the Stellantis CustomFit range and is manufactured at the Atessa plant in Italy.

Offered alongside factory-made tippers, dropsides, crew vans and back-to-back vans (for the motorhome market), the Luton is part of a growing range of converted options available direct from the Stellantis plant.

“We have two other projects on the table to be studied,” said Leclerc. “There has to be a volume scale that is enough – if it’s one or two hundred, there is no added value to what the converters can offer. We bring efficiency at scale.”

He added: “The direct production capacity of our plants is expanded by a global network of 550 authorised partners who interact with our official network, ensuring an extremely widespread network of touchpoints. All fittings made by our partners enjoy the same two-year warranty coverage as vehicles coming directly from the factory.”

EPTO solution

Stellantis will introduce its 400-volt EPTO (Electric Power Take-Off) solution to its large vans later this year after launching it on the small and medium vans in 2024. The system enables electric vehicles to draw power from the traction battery to operate auxiliary equipment without needing a separate power source and without compromising payload.

“The savings range from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand pounds,” said Leclerc.