BEDEO develops retrofit tech to make installers’ diesel vans electric

Launched by BEDEO, the electric vehicle supplier and manufacturer based in Farnham, the all-new RE-100 Range Extender, which is part of the company’s Reborn Electric range, enables organisations to retain those existing vehicles for longer, while still transitioning to an electric future.

A vehicle fitted with one of the RE-100 Range Extenders is electric first, with 117 km of electric range, making it ideal for ‘Last Mile’ deliveries. Its existing diesel mode can be used when needed for longer trips, switching to electric when entering a low-emission zone and densely populated areas in order to eliminate emissions and accelerate decarbonisation.

At the heart of the RE-100 solution are two in-wheel motors fitted to the rear axle of the vehicle. The motors are more compact, lighter, efficient and easier to install than an equivalent e-axle and powered by a 37 kWh battery. No suspension modifications are required to the front or rear, which means there’s no loss of ground clearance and no loss of load space or height.

Business model

BEDEO is presently working for businesses including OCADO, DHL and TNT. Founder Osman Boyner firmly believes that, with the concept of Reborn Electric, the company is providing a new business model for specialist sectors caught between the twin goals of cost and sustainability.

“Electric vans today don’t meet the needs of the market and even Euro VI diesel vans are still responsible for a disproportionate amount of carbon emissions,” noted Boyner. “With the RE-100, we’ve created a new category of hybrid that not only meets the needs of today’s business community, but also accelerates transport-centred decarbonisation.”

The RE-100 is a hybrid in as much as it can have two modes of power – electric and diesel – but with the BEDEO technology, the vehicle cannot be operated as diesel within controlled low emissions zones, unless there’s an emergency. Outside of controlled zones, the driver is in control and can determine when to stay in electric mode for a more pleasant driving experience, or otherwise switch to diesel for longer distances.

New proposition

The ability to retrofit BEDEO’s in-wheel motor technology in an existing vehicle is an entirely new proposition. “BEDEO has leveraged this advanced technology to develop the next generation of retrofit vehicles, unlimited by the constraints of a standard e-axle,” added Boyner.

While switching to an all-electric fleet is desirable for many fire safety system installation companies, it’s also very expensive and wasteful, requiring investment not only in the vehicles themselves, but also the infrastructure that ultimately supports them. “While sustainability is, of course, a key driver, the end-to-end sustainability [ie whole lifecycle] of the vehicle also needs to be taken into account,” affirmed Boyner.

He continued: “It cannot be sustainable to replace a vehicle that has not reached the end of its useful working life, and neither is it sustainable to replace not only the vehicle, but also the bespoke fit-out that many of these vehicles have. Retrofitting with electric overcomes these challenges and more, satisfying the need to reduce emissions in our city centres where the majority of the ‘Last Mile’ journeys are required. It’s about breathing new life into older vehicles.”

*Further information is available online at www.bedeo.tech