We recently reported that Honda has ventured into space technologies. If that was not crazy enough, Car News China is now reporting that the logistics company, Lalamove, is venturing into electric vehicles. The company even launched its own EV brand known as “DuoLa Auto”, along with the introduction of an all-electric cargo van: the DuoLa Bafang.
According to the publication, Lalamove has partnered with Changan Kaicene to produce the DuoLa Bafang. Apparently, the latter handles the production, while the logistic company handles the designing.
At first glance, the van appears to have a generic look, though its front fascia gives it a distinct personality that’s reminiscent of the characters from the Cars animated movie by Disney. It features an enclosed panel with vertically integrated lights, while the rectangular-shaped headlights resemble a pair of eyes. The black front bumper, which includes an air intake grille, adds to this animated charm by giving the van a constant smiling, yet creepy expression.
Other than that, the van comes with a single sliding door on the left and 270-degree swing-out double doors in the rear. Meanwhile, the cargo is placed behind the driver’s cabin which comes with three seats.
According to filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the DuoLa Bafang measures 5,095 mm in length, 1,870 mm in width, and 1,990 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,300 mm. Its cargo compartment spans 3,085 mm by 1,705 mm by 1,485 mm, offering an impressive 7.8 cubic meters of storage space which is also design to accommodate three occupants.
The EV van is powered by a 94kW motor which comes three battery options: a 43.53kWh CATL battery, a 43.061kWh Fin Dreams battery, and a 41.86kWh EVE Energy battery. Regardless of battery options, the EV van has a maximum range of 305km.
Lalamove has been developing its electric vehicle strategy since 2021, officially expanding into “new energy vehicle sales” in 2023 and highlighting its R&D ambitions in its Hong Kong Stock Exchange prospectus. As of 2024, 40% of its platform orders are fulfilled by new energy vehicles, which have collectively covered 7.4 billion kilometres, supported by a robust charging network across 338 cities with 940,000 charging piles.
(Source: Car News China)
