Cardiff based Inter Vehicle Group (IVG) has strengthened its position as a leading voice in the electric vehicle future with the news it has become a franchisee of LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company), covering all of Wales.
The news will mean direct availability in Wales for the first time of LEVC’s iconic TX electric taxi and its VN5 electric van and will deliver 15 new jobs at Inter Vehicle Group’s operations in Cardiff through a £150,000 investment in specialist equipment and training. This will also see IVG take new commercial space of 27,000 sqft in Cardiff Bay to operate the rapidly growing Inter Hire part of the business as it converts its existing Penarth Road facility into an LEVC hub.
As part of the deal, which will go live this month (October), Inter Vehicle Group will be providing full service and after sales support and will establish a one stop shop for business and the taxi industry across Wales to access sector leading electric vehicles and after sales servicing. It is hoped the news will help Local Authorities deliver on their clean air targets by cutting vehicle emissions in town and city centres and demonstrate to Wales the possibilities an electric vehicle future offers.
LEVC has a long and distinguished history in the cab trade and is now transitioning to become the leading European green commercial mobility solutions provider. By working with Inter Vehicle Group it will be proactively moving into Wales for the first time, delivering high quality electric vehicle options.
Commenting on the news, Jarrad Morris, Group Managing Director of Inter Vehicle Group says: “Our aim is to be pioneers in Wales within the EV sector and to lead the way on what is possible. Our agreement with LEVC is designed to ensure the taxi industry, businesses and local authorities in Wales have the latest electric vehicles available to them as an option. It is a clear signal of how we as a company are responding to last year’s Welsh Government Climate Emergency declaration and Cardiff Council’s recently unveiled OnePlanetCardiff strategy which includes a focus on transport and the need to limit the impact of vehicle emissions and air quality.
“The LEVC franchise on Penarth Road will be a centre of excellence and offer the taxi trade in particular a chance to get ahead of the curve in regards to transitioning to a leading, green, sustainable vehicle option. This is particularly important as the Welsh Government and Local Authorities across Wales begin to support the taxi industry in moving away from traditional diesel-based vehicles.”
LEVC CEO, Joerg Hofmann commented: “We are pleased to welcome Inter Vehicle Group to our growing network of dealers in the UK and Europe. IVG will introduce the portfolio of LEVC electric vehicle products to Wales for the first time, responding to the growing demand from local authorities and businesses looking to switch to greener mobility operations.”
The TX electric taxi and VN5 electric van are powered by a lithium-ion battery, and can typically save around £110 per week in fuel bills, or £27,000 over a five-year period. Its Pure EV mode delivers a range of 63 miles but it also has a range extender that maintains the battery charge state delivering a total range of over 300 miles. The TX and VN5 are both classified as zero emission vehicles and with a 20g/km and sufficient electric range to satisfy WLTP requirements.
The TX and VN5 also deliver savings in servicing compared to a traditional internal-combustion engine vehicle. Service intervals of 25,000 miles are delivered, market leading for a commercial EV, and regenerative braking that harvests energy that would usually be lost when slowing down, recharges the drive battery, increasing efficiency and reducing wear on braking components.
Both the TX and VN5 qualify for the £8,000 plug in vehicle government grant with other incentives also on offer to encourage businesses to make the change to more sustainable travel options.
The deal with LEVC is the latest part of Inter Vehicle Group’s strategy to become an exemplar of electric vehicle operations in Wales and follows its recent announcement of its new micro mobility brand GOiA which is launching e-scooters and free-floating electric cars.
