Oxford-based electromobility company electric Assisted Vehicles, has revealed a concept for a new pure-electric commercial vehicle. It’s called the lightweight Inner-City Solution, or LINCS for short. As its name suggests, it’s an urban delivery automobile created to service a busy city and its surrounding boroughs.
LINCS is built on an aluminium skateboard chassis platform and is powered by two in-hub electric motors from Bicester-based EV powertrain maker Saietta Group.
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EAV hasn’t yet disclosed the size of the battery, but the company has said that each unit can store enough electrical energy for a maximum range of 100 miles in the city. The modular system indicates that the battery is easily removable, hinting that the LINCS has been created with battery swap stations rather than charge points in mind as the primary source of refuelling.
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The LINCS platform is also completely modular in terms of bodywork. The driver’s cab can be bolted down on either the right- or left-hand side of the automobile to suit both the UK and European markets, while the rear can be configured as a covered van, an open pick-up or a dropside loader.
EAV says it has futureproofed the LINCS platform with an arsenal of sensors and software, ready for when autonomous-capable automobiles become the norm. The vehicle’s bodywork is also made from completely recyclable composite materials.
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Another feature of the LINCS is a “Road Train” function, which allows multiple automobiles to be chained together and work like the HGV road trains known on Australia’s highway network.