Stellantis has just unveiled a full van lineup renewal across all its commercial vehicle brands. Stellantis has updated the small, medium and large entries from Citroen, FIAT, Peugeot, and Vauxhall as part of its Pro One brand push.
Pro One improves the Stellantis vehicles with advanced electrified propulsion, safety, ADAS and connectivity technologies, with the goal of providing stress-free driving and reliable business performance.
“This 2nd generation of zero-emission vans, in line with customer expectations and offering increased BEV autonomy, additional fuel-cell offer, 18 ADAS, full connectivity, and innovations such as ‘electric Power Take Off’, will reinforce even further our current leadership in BEV vans and in all van segments,” said Xavier Peugeot, Senior Vice President, Stellantis Commercial Vehicles Business Unit.
The upgrades include in-house battery systems that can provide ranges of up to 420km (261 miles) in the larger vehicles. 150kW fast charging can bring the battery from 0 to 80% in under an hour.
Following on from this, Stellantis is bringing a hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion system in 2024 that will provide a range of up to 500km (311 miles) and a refill time of five minutes.
Stellantis have listed the following technologies that are being brought to Pro One.
- Regenerative braking system, activated via steering wheel paddles, taking into account vehicle weight and road dynamics to maximize energy recovery.
- A heat pump in BEV compact vans optimizes energy usage in cold and winter conditions to maximize vehicle range.
- New generation of human-machine interface (HMI) that enhances productivity and safety. Instrument clusters and center displays are larger and configurable by the driver.
- Dynamic Surround Vision uses exterior cameras that provide a wide view around the vehicle, an aid for navigating traffic and crowded streets.
- Wireless connectivity, activated when the vehicle is delivered, keeps drivers informed and managers connected with their fleets in real time. It enables available cost-saving service packs such as preventive maintenance, eco-drive coaching, EV routing and charge management. Over-the-air updates let vehicles evolve with their users.
- In compact vans, a new Smartphone Station connects to a dedicated app enabling the mobile phone to become a control panel for the vehicle, including interaction with steering wheel buttons, making it a cost-effective way to upgrade the online experience.
- In large vans, class-leading Level 2 assisted driving solution via the combination of Adaptive Cruise Control with stop-and-go function, Lane Centering and Traffic Jam Assist. Also, a new generation of the internal combustion engine mates with an 8-speed automatic transmission for improved range and capability.
- All-new commercial vans are equipped with full LED headlights for exemplary vision and safety.
This announcement is a strong step forward for Stellantis, and a challenge to other commercial vehicle manufacturers. Early reactions to the press release are positive, and it will be interesting to see more information on these vehicles as it is released.
