Solving the "Whole Electrification Equation Rather Than Just the Vehicle" - B-ON CEO Bruno Lambert

B–ON is a one-stop shop for commercial fleet electrification. It provides electric vehicles (EVs), smart productivity-enhancing tools, and electric solutions. 

"After a decade of implementing electric fleets at scale, we have learned first-hand the pain points customers experience when trying to make this shift," B-ON's CEO Bruno Lambert, tells Auto Futures.

"We’ve bottled this learning curve into a holistic offering, encompassing not only a fairly priced vehicle, but also the fleet management software to optimise its operation, and the energy management solutions our customers need to keep them powered and running smoothly. B–ON is solving for the whole electrification equation rather than just the vehicle," he adds.

Pelkan is B-ON's all-electric light commercial van purpose-built for last-mile applications, especially in cities. It offers a long battery range of up to 185 miles (298 km).

"Pelkan comes in two battery variants of 54 and 43 kWh with 279 and 226 km of range, respectively, paired with 1,300 kg of payload for the 54 and a class-leading 1,350 kg on the 43. We are currently on sale now in mainland Europe, where deliveries will start in Q4 2024, and pre-sale in the UK where right hand drive versions will hit the road in early 2025."

The Pelkan recently took part in the EV Rally in the UK. The 5-day rally demonstrated the roles that EVs can play in the UK's fleet sector.

"Pelkan was a superstar in the EV Rally across the UK. The full length was over 1,400 miles, proving that range anxiety is a thing of the past. Guest drivers from the AA, National Grid, the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), and many more got to check out the vehicle for the first time, and the reviews were glowing across the board," says Lambert.

Taking The Load

At CES 2024 in Las Vegas, B-ON displayed the company’s proprietary Smart Dispenser technology, designed for last-mile delivery use cases.

The system is made up of a rotating set of shelves that sit in the vehicles’ cargo box, directly inside a row of scanners. It's offered as a stand-alone product or integrated into the Pelkan.

"The core value proposition of our Smart Dispenser technology is in reducing the time it takes to load and unload packages. By removing the need to sort or stack up packages according to the route the driver will take, along with the time to find the correct package at each destination, B–ON estimates that companies can save 15 seconds per package – roughly 45 minutes per day depending on the route – and generate as much as £7,000 in additional revenue per vehicle per year," explains Lambert.

"In addition, it is easier on drivers physically who now don’t have to lift themselves in and out of the back of the truck to collect packages, and also significantly reduces the likelihood of delivering the wrong package with its green (correct!) and red (incorrect) indicator lights."

Closing The Price Gap With ICE Vehicles

In April 2024, B-ON announced a joint venture and larger strategic partnership with China's Chery Commercial, part of Chery Group, for the development, production and sale of electric commercial vehicles.

"B–ON will contribute its network for sales, aftersales, and branding in Europe, UK and North America as well as engineering design and product development services, while Chery provides engineering support in addition to access to its extensive capabilities for both supply chain support and manufacturing," says Lambert.

In a press release, Tongyue Yin, Chairman of Chery Group, commented: “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.” 

Finally, we asked Lambert what more can be done to speed up the transition to commercial EVs in Europe.

"One major issue facing the industry as a whole is the price gap between electric vehicles and ICE alternatives. The lack of comparably priced, or even reasonably priced options in the market is a huge deterrent for business owners. The solution to this problem cannot lie solely with government subsidies and incentives – automakers must do better at addressing this demand, too."

"Our partnership with Chery is a major way that we’re working to address this gap – developing high-quality electric vehicles that don’t break the bank thanks to a strong manufacturing base in China," concludes Lambert.