A Banbury-based company has secured £10 million in government funding to speed up the development of a new electric vehicle designed for local parcel deliveries. ELM Mobility, a joint venture founded by Prodrive Advanced Technology and Astheimer Design, will use the grant to advance its work on the Evolv, an electric quadricycle aimed at making urban deliveries cleaner and more efficient.
The funding is part of a larger £20 million development programme supported by the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Innovate UK. The project includes several partners, such as Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, Nyobolt, Electrified Automation, CENEX, and Barclays through its Sustainable Impact Capital division.
The Evolv is designed to be a practical alternative for last-mile logistics. Weighing 850kg, the compact vehicle can carry a standard Euro pallet and offers a range of 100 miles with a top speed of 50mph. By focusing on high efficiency, the company aims to reduce logistics costs, traffic congestion, and vehicle emissions in cities.
Mark Stringer, CEO of ELM Mobility, stated that this innovation addresses critical challenges for the logistics sector by helping operators meet environmental goals while supporting the transition to cleaner urban areas. Having already produced a working demonstrator, the company is now moving into a testing phase before customer trials begin in 2027.
If the trials are successful, ELM Mobility plans to start full production in 2028. The company is targeting an output of 10,000 vehicles per year, with each unit expected to cost around £25,000.
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