Morris Commercial has secured a new round of funding that it says will take its retro-styled JE electric van into the final stages of development, with customer deliveries now targeted for early 2024.
The latest funding injection, led by Capital for Colleagues (C4C), together with investor Bill Ainscough and retailer TJ Morris Limited, adds to the capital raised since the project was first announced in 2019. Existing shareholders have also increased their backing.
Morris Commercial remains committed to its goal of reviving the Morris Commercial name with a modern, zero-emission interpretation of the 1950s J-Type. The JE keeps the recognisable pear-shaped grille and rounded proportions, but underneath sits a recycled carbon-fibre monocoque body and a lightweight aluminium chassis.
The company says its latest prototypes now combine a 1,000kg payload, up to 6.5m³ cargo volume, and a driving range of up to 250 miles — a 50-mile increase on previous claims. New tech has also been added, including rear- and side-view cameras, infotainment, and an upgraded interior.
A production prototype debuted at the LCV Show in September 2022, and Morris claims the JE is now “close to production readiness”.
Funding To Support Engineering and Certification
The new investment will bankroll the next stage of the programme, including final R&D and validation, certification, preparing the JE for series manufacturing, recruitment of additional engineering staff, and further strengthening of supplier partnerships.
Capital for Colleagues CEO Alistair Currie will join the Morris Commercial board as a non-executive director and will oversee the creation of an Employee Ownership Trust, to which existing and incoming investors will gift shares.
Delivery Target Moves Again
While early 2024 is the new planned start for customer deliveries, the JE has already slipped several times from its original 2021 target. The fresh funding provides new momentum, but the company still needs to confirm a full production facility before volume manufacturing can begin.
Despite that, Morris Commercial continues to claim “thousands” of pre-registered customers worldwide, particularly small brands, hospitality operators and businesses looking for a distinctive EV as a mobile retail or promotional platform.
Dr Qu Li, CEO of Morris Commercial, said the new backing would allow the firm to “accelerate product development and take Morris JE to market”, describing the funding as confirmation of the strength of its business model.
Whether the latest timeline holds remains to be seen, but the investment at least provides the stability the project has lacked since 2019 and keeps the long-running JE story moving forward.
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