Arrival Automotive, a British start-up with some pretty strong financial backing, is getting closer to launching its all-electric van. Our spy photographers caught a camouflaged prototype of the electric car testing in Germany ahead of the debut of its production version at the end of the year.
The prototype looks a little different than that one Arrival Beta Prototype which was introduced two years ago. While the overall shape remains identical, the front end appears to have been redesigned with a more prominent bumper, larger air intakes and new LED headlights. The latter look similar to purpose-built EV concept for travel arrangements, which was introduced last year.
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Another new feature is the glass area at the bottom of the sliding door on the left side. Note that this is a right-hand drive prototype and the driver’s door does not come with a clear panel and appears to open in a more conventional manner. The boxy rear end features the trademark taillights, which are largely unchanged since then early prototypes from 2018, as is the case with the sliding rear doors. Arrival offers a variety of body lengths and heights to meet the needs of business buyers. Unpainted body panels are made of thermoplastic composites, which facilitates assembly.
The van will have a modular architecture using LG Chem batteries with capacities ranging from 44kWh to 130kWh depending on the variant. Arrival hasn’t announced range estimates, but it’s likely the electric car will surpass its original 150-mile (241 km) target when equipped with the largest battery available.
Keep in mind that in 2020. UPS placed the order 10,000 electric delivery vans from Arrival after participating in the project since 2016. Arrival also received $111 million in investment from Hyundai and Kia to develop specialized vehicles, and last year the brand signed a deal with Uber. After a few delays, production of the electric van is expected to begin by the end of 2022, so the public unveiling is likely just around the corner.
Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien for Carscoops
https://www.carscoops.com/2022/08/arrivals-fully-electric-van-for-ups-spied-testing-in-germany/
