Mullen Automotive, the EV startup that recently acquired a controlling stake in Bollinger Motors and the former Indiana factory of the bankrupt ELMS, has unveiled a new urban commercial electric delivery vehicle.
Available now in several European markets including the UK, Germany, Spain, France and Ireland, the Mullen I-Go is said to bridge the gap between the growing demand for quick deliveries and space constraints found throughout the dense cities of Europe. The first market to get the Mullen I-Go will be Germany, from December 2022.
Now, the I-Go is not actually a Mullen product, but is licensed from another manufacturer that has not been disclosed by the US company. However, a quick search online reveals that the manufacturer is China's Henan Henrey Shiying Vehicle. The vehicle is listed on a wholesale Chinese website for $9,385 per vehicle or $9,080 per vehicle for orders of 50 or more. Mullen will sell it in Europe for a base price of $11,999 plus VAT and local transportation.
Originally, the Chinese factory builds the vehicle as a four-seat city car, but Mullen's press release suggests the company will adapt it into an urban delivery vehicle, which will allow it to extend its branding and marketing reach to the European market. The I-Go will be retailed and serviced through local European distributors.
Targeting companies that focus on last mile deliveries, the Mullen I-Go features a 16.5-kWh battery pack that enables a range of 124 miles (200 kilometers) according to the NEDC estimate. The battery powers a rear-mounted electric motor rated at 34 kilowatts (46 horsepower) and 102 Newton-meters (75 pound-feet) of torque that propels the I-Go to a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h). The vehicle has a 96-inch (2,438-millimeter) wheelbase and a curb weight of just 1,753 pounds (795 kilograms).
"The goal has always been for Mullen to build a complete line of commercial electric vehicles, and we realized that one of the most critical issues today is inefficient last-mile delivery in urban markets. The introduction of the I-Go, a fully EU homologated vehicle, creates opportunities for the Company in Europe where there is a huge demand for this type of small delivery vehicle."
David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive
The executive explains that this transaction allows Mullen to expand to Europe while at the same time remaining fully focused on its mission of manufacturing its lineup of electric vehicles in the United States.
Mullen's lineup of commercial vehicles includes Class 1 and Class 2 electric cargo vans, as well as Class 3 through Class 6 EVs from Bollinger's portfolio. None of these models has gone on sale yet, though, with the Mullen Class 1 and Class 3 commercial vehicles expected to be the first to arrive on the market in 2023.
