Morris JE van to revive retro-cute British icon as an EV

If the Volkswagen van can be re-imagined as a modern EV, in the form of the I.D. Buzz Cargo, then perhaps other battery-powered cargo vans might also borrow from the designs of iconic models of the past. That’s the idea behind the Morris JE van, which seeks to revive the British Morris J-type van and reinterpret it as a zero-emissions light-duty workhorse for today.

The original Morris J-type made its debut in 1948, as the British economy was emerging from World War II. Morris Commercial would become part of BMC a few years later, and the forward-control van became a fixture in the U.K. while also being exported to 22 countries. Its model run lasted until 1961.

A UK startup purchased the rights to the Morris Commercial name, and is said to have been working on the new van for two years. The teaser image of the new JE van shows a rounded, single-box, flat-nose form, and not much else. Specifics as yet are scarce, with Morris saying only that the new JE van will use a carbon-fiber body that it claims will make the new JE the lightest vehicle in its segment. Lithium-ion batteries power the fully electric drivetrain.

In a statement, Morris Commercial’s founder and CEO said, “We are very excited to unveil the JE to the public this autumn.”