To take advantage of government incentives for retrofitting fossil-fuel models, British electric vehicle provider Bedeo said on Wednesday that it has begun offering a service to convert thousands of diesel vans into hybrid electric vehicles, beginning in France.
France offers EV retrofitters a 9,000 euro ($9,509) grant, but each modified model must pass official car inspections.
The market for converting fossil-fuel vehicles to electric vehicles is expanding, but France is now the only country to do so with a comprehensive legislative framework and incentives.
The Protean Electric in-wheel motors on the back two wheels of a diesel van are part of Bedeo’s basic conversion kit, which costs 30,000 euros. These stand-alone motors are contained in all or some wheels of an EV and do not require axles or powertrains.
Up to 120 kilometers (75 miles) of range from the plug-in battery, which, according to Bedeo CEO Osman Boyer, should cover 95% of delivery routes, is followed by traditional diesel range.
Boyer stated that the company’s client base would likely be smaller fleets of vans with pricey extras like refrigerated units and those who cannot afford expensive electric models. Bedeo is originally aiming for 20,000 van conversions per year.
According to Boyer, who spoke to Reuters, “what we are seeing more and more is that who is going to be left behind in this transition is the smaller fleets.” “What does the guy who owns five vans do?”
To be eligible for French subsidies, Bedeo, which creates electric van powertrains for Stellantis (STLAM.MI), the world’s third-largest manufacturer, will begin manufacturing its in-wheel motors in France in the first quarter of 2024. Boyer said Bedeo is now exploring production alternatives.
In 2022, Bedeo purchased Protean Electric from a division of China Evergrande Group. According to Protean CEO Andrew Whitehead, Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor (0489. HK) plans to introduce new vehicles with Protean in-wheel motors around the middle of the decade.
According to Whitehead, three significant European automakers and a few other Chinese automakers are also considering employing Protean’s in-wheel motors.
