Protean Electric CEO Andrew Whitehead and Bedeo CEO Osman Boyer pose with a diesel van that has been converted into an electric hybrid by Bedeo using Protean in-wheel motors, in Farhnam, Britain, September 26, 2023. REUTERS/Nick Carey Acquire Licensing Rights
LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - British electric vehicle supplier Bedeo said on Wednesday that it has launched a service to convert thousands of diesel vans to electric hybrids, starting in France to take advantage of government subsidies for retrofitting fossil-fuel models. E Car Motor
France provides a 9,000-euro ($9,509) subsidy for EV retrofitters, though each retrofitted model must pass government vehicle tests.
Converting fossil-fuel models to electric is a growing industry, though France is alone so far in providing a broad regulatory framework and subsidies.
Bedeo's basic conversion kit costs 30,000 euros and consists of a 37-kilowatt hour battery and Protean Electric in-wheel motors - stand-alone motors housed in all or some wheels of an EV that do not need axles or powertrains - on the rear two wheels of a diesel van.
The plug-in battery provides up to 120 kilometres (75 miles) of range, which Bedeo CEO Osman Boyner said should cover 95% of delivery routes, then provide conventional diesel range.
Bedeo is initially targeting 20,000 van conversions a year and Boyner said the company's customer base will most likely be smaller fleets of vans with costly additions such as refrigerated units and which cannot afford expensive electric models.
"What we are seeing more and more is that who is going to be left behind in this transition is the smaller fleets," Boyner told Reuters. "The guy who owns five vans, what does he do?"
In order to qualify for French subsidies Bedeo, which makes electric powertrains for vans for world No. 3 automaker Stellantis (STLAM.MI), will set up a manufacturing facility in France for converting diesel vans in the first quarter of 2024 and is currently looking at production options, Boyner said.
Bedeo acquired Protean Electric in 2022 from a unit of China Evergrande Group. Chinese carmaker Dongfeng Motor (0489.HK) has built small tests fleets using Protean in-wheel motors and is looking at launching new models with them around the middle of the decade, Protean CEO Andrew Whitehead said.
Whitehead said a couple of other Chinese carmakers and three major European carmakers are also looking at using Protean's in-wheel motors.
(This story has been corrected to fix the CEO Osman Boyner's name throughout and corrects the type of facility to be set up in France in paragraph 8)
Reporting By Nick Carey; Editing by Sharon Singleton
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
A Dutch-led coalition of a dozen nations committed on Saturday to publish an inventory of their own fossil fuel subsidies within a year, with the aim of creating a clear strategy for eliminating them.
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.
Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology.
The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs.
The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals.
Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile.
Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts.
Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks.
China Ev Conversion Motor Exporter All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.