B–ON, the European provider of clean mobility solutions, and Chery Group, the leading Chinese automobile brand, have reached an agreement for a larger strategic partnership, including the formation of a joint venture and the launch of the new Pelkan electric light commercial vehicle.
The focus of the joint venture will be to develop, produce, and sell all-electric commercial vehicles. The Pelkan is revealed this week at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham, UK.
As part of the partnership, B–ON will contribute its network for sales, aftersales, and branding in Europe and North America as well as engineering design and product development, while Chery Commercial Vehicle will provide also provide engineering, in addition to access to its extensive capabilities for both supply chain support and manufacturing. The launch product, named Pelkan, will feature a class-leading payload of up to 1350 kg, and two battery variants of 43 and 54 kWh designed to provide extended range up to 226 and 279 km, respectively, all in a comfortable, driver-friendly package. Pelkan will be delivered to customers in mainland Europe beginning mid 2024.
Founded in 1997, Chery Group is currently the third-largest automaker in China with nearly 2 million vehicles sold in 2023 alone. Chery is China’s leading automobile exporter and has been for 20 years, with millions of vehicle sales across South America and Eastern Europe. The company has a long history of successful joint ventures with Western brands including Jaguar Land Rover.
B–ON, the leading provider of clean mobility solutions for commercial fleets, operates as a global team with major hubs in France, Switzerland, the UK and China. Founded in 2020 by CEO Bruno Lambert, the company is focused on accelerating the transition to electric fleets by providing purpose-built electric vehicles, smart productivity-enhancing tools, fleet software and telematics, plus advanced energy solutions.
“Partnering with a major world leader like Chery Group is a pivotal moment for B–ON and its growth,” said Bruno Lambert, CEO of B–ON. “Combined, our ability to provide high quality, low-cost electric commercial vehicles is unmatched in the market today, and I’m extremely optimistic about our joint prospects.”
“As a leading global automaker, we have long recognized the need to be prepared for an electric future,” said Tongyue Yin, Chairman of Chery Group. “Innovative, agile companies like B–ON are uniquely poised to supply the nascent and rapidly expanding commercial vehicle market in their local geographies but lack the manufacturing base to address the full mass-market demand. Our partnership makes for a perfect union. Together, our future is bright.”
