LEVC: electric platform for transport works

LEVC is part of China’s Geely Group and has made a name for itself with the new London Taxi and its electric vans. Now the British Chinese are launching a new electric car platform on which various transport concepts will be implemented in the future.

Consider the method of transport

The new Space Oriented Architecture (SOA) is based on the Geely Group GEEA 2.0 platform and was developed over the past 2.5 years at Geely’s research and development centers in China, Sweden, England, and Germany. During development, the focus was on maximizing interior space to allow for better seating and load configurations. Of course, the new platform should also provide progress in various aspects, including efficiency, security, payment time, durability, and connectivity.

With the battery mounted in the middle of the car floor, this is quite a step. All the components of the car apart from the motors are in front of the front passenger, so there are no air restrictions in the driver’s cab. The new rear wheel suspension provides more space in the back and a lower loading floor. Longitudinal rails integrated into the floor enable various seating configurations and easy cargo protection.

The SOA platform supports vehicle sizes from 4,860 to 5,995 mm in length and 1,945 to 1,998 mm in width and wheels from 3,000 to 3,800 mm. Passenger transporters and commercial vehicles can be represented. In addition, the SOA allows for front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive configurations. The battery capacity varies from 73 to 120 kWh, so a range of up to 695 km should be possible. LEVC promises state-of-the-art fast charging but has yet to provide any charging performance or charging times.

The electrical design is also new

In addition to the new physical core, LEVC also adds a new electronic architecture. L-OS is cloud-based and is said to have massive computing power. The fully digital operating system not only enables smart cockpits and a new user experience but also enables autonomous driving operations up to level 4. Of course, the software can be updated “on the fly”.

SOA is designed as an open-source platform for electric vehicles and is therefore open to all Geely Group brands as well as external partners. LEVC has yet to announce specific new models on the new platform, but the London Taxi and current car models will definitely be converted to the new model. It is also not yet known where models will be built on the new platform. LEVC will likely continue to use existing production facilities in Coventry, England, which are currently designed for an annual production of 20,000 vehicles.

Chinese car giant Geely is launching a new electric platform for light commercial vehicles through its subsidiary LEVC. It can do all kinds of driving, it offers a range of up to 700 km and a very large space. The new model should be offered to players outside the Geely empire.