B-ON introduces new electric transporter ‘Pelkan’
Designed for inner-city delivery, B-ON’s new van uses the Mobility in Harmony (MIH) open vehicle platform from contract manufacturer Foxconn, unveiled in 2020. In the press photos provided, the vehicle stands out with a futuristic look including a continuous light bar.
The following is known about the performance data so far: The Pelkan has a maximum output of 85 kW with a maximum torque of 256 Nm and will go on sale with two battery variants (43 and 54 kWh). With the larger 54 kWh battery, the van is expected to achieve a WLTP range of more than 250 kilometres. At a DC charging station, the charging process from 30 to 80 per cent should take less than 30 minutes. The AC charging process from 0 to 100 per cent is stated as “under 8 hours”.
According to B-ON, the payload is to be 1,235 kilograms, the top speed 120 km/h. The manufacturer puts the Pelikan’s external dimensions at 5,725 x 1,850 x 2,515 mm and the wheelbase at 3,380 mm.
B-ON wants to stand out from the competition not only with its eye-catching look, but also with an optional “intelligent parcel delivery system” , which is intended to save drivers time and effort when loading and unloading parcels and which will also be offered as a separate add-on for installation in other vehicles from the second quarter of 2024. B-ON announces the full premiere of the Pelkan for January 2024 at CES in Las Vegas. The vehicle is also to be made available to customers next year.
As is well known, there is a lot of movement internally at B-ON right now: Just this week, the company announced a change in leadership. The current CEO Stefan Krause will be replaced in this function by co-founder and president Bruno Lambert. Just over a month ago, the German B-ON GmbH filed for insolvency, but other international B-ON companies are not affected.
B-ON took over the production of the StreetScooter from Deutsche Post in January 2022. It is important to note that the Luxembourg company did not buy the StreetScooter itself (since 2022, it has been responsible for looking after the StreetScooter fleet at Deutsche Post/DHL Group), but only its manufacturing business. At that time, B-ON was still called Odin Automotive. Initially, the vehicles continued to be produced at the German StreetScooter plant in Düren with a capacity of 30,000 vehicles per year.
The rebranding to B-ON was completed in May, including the launch of a complementary range of electrification services in addition to the vehicle line. “The company’s evolution from an original equipment manufacturer to a comprehensive e-vehicle solutions provider has been undertaken to make the transition to e-vehicles as easy and hassle-free as possible for fleet owners – by providing e-vehicles, charging and energy management, financing, service and maintenance, driver training and advanced telematics through a single point of contact for the customer,” B-ON wrote on its website.
The company’s headquarters are in Luxembourg. Outside Germany, the parent company has subsidiaries in the USA, Great Britain, Japan, China and Latin America.
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