Geely unit London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has unveiled a new, sizeable electric-vehicle platform for vehicles ranging from minivans to commercial vans that it said could also be used by other units of the Chinese automaker.
According to LEVC, the platform, dubbed Space Oriented Architecture (SOA), had been jointly developed over the last two-and-a-half years in China, Sweden, the U.K., and Germany, would provide EVs with more extended range, fast-charging capabilities, and advanced driver-assistance features. Executives at the LEVC headquarters in Ansty, England, told reporters that the adaptable platform could be used for a variety of EVs, such as pickup trucks, big SUVs, or even mobile homes.
Geely was reported to be considering a significant investment earlier this year, according to LEVC, to transform the company that makes London’s renowned black taxis into a high-volume, all-electric brand with a variety of commercial and passenger vehicles.
Geely owns multiple brands including British sports-car brand Lotus, Zeekr, Volvo, Polestar, and Proton. Geely also already has its own commercial van brand, Farizon. As such, the Chinese auto giant faces complexities that more prominent EV makers BYD and Tesla have avoided.
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According to LEVC Managing Director Chris Allen, the brand was positioning itself within the Geely group to provide larger EVs that “give more space, more opportunities, more flexibility with a larger vehicle size.”
