What was new at the CV Show this year?

General Guides 

The doors have now closed on the UK's largest commercial vehicle show, with plenty to digest and savour from the three-day event.

The CV Show 2021 may have been later than usual and a little smaller - blame a certain pandemic - but key models were still on display. We round-up the show, previewing the crucial new vehicles that your business will be able to lease.

Ford Transit goes electric

Ford's E-Transit was perhaps the star of the show. To fully-electrify such an iconic model is a bold move, but Ford has done it, and the stats show the Blue Oval is not messing about.

Due to become the most powerful van of any kind available in the UK, the Ford E-Transit will feature a driving range of 196 miles on a charge.

Payload will be set at 1,758kg, with two motor options to help lug that load around. The higher-rated machine will deliver 269hp, though even the less-powerful version will still have 183hp to work with. In total, 25 different variants will be available, across the familiar panel van, double-cab-in-van, and chassis-cab categories.

Ford also took the chance to give debuts to the Ranger Stormtrak and Ranger Wolftrak editions, showcase the FordLiive connected vehicle service, updates to the ‘normal' Transit range, and showcased additions to the Qualified Vehicle Modifier portfolio from the likes of MS-RT.

Vauxhall debuts Combo-e and Movano-e

Ford's long-term rival Vauxhall had a considerable presence at the show too, offering global debuts to the new Combo-e and Movano-e electric vans, as well as giving a UK debut to the Vivaro-e Hydrogen van and Vivaro-e platform cab.

While Vauxhall's Stellantis Group stablemates Citroen and Peugeot pulled out of the show late on, the Toyota Proace City Electric was on show - which shares a platform and powertrain with Stellantis models.

Toyota debuts Corolla Commercial

Toyota also launched the Corolla Commercial Hybrid, an LCV version of its Corolla Touring Sports estate. An unusual option in the LCV market, in that it offers a conventional hybrid set-up, the Toyota could easily find a number of customers in a market more or less of its own.

Of course, Toyota's LCV presence wouldn't be complete without the legendary Hilux. The recently updated regular pick-up was on the stand, as was a new Hilux cherry picker, alongside the Land Cruiser Commercial 4x4.

Isuzu does D-Max extreme

In a dwindling pick-up market, one of Toyota's major rivals for the Hilux is the Isuzu D-Max. Grabbing the limelight on the Isuzu stand was a burnt orange prototype of the forthcoming D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 conversion. With Tonka-toy styling thanks to huge wheels and upgraded Bilstein springs, the changes don't go just only skin deep: there's a strengthened chassis and bodywork changes shifting the D-Max into ‘serious off-roader' territory.

Land Rover Defender offers Hard Top

When it comes to off-roading LCVs however, despite the best efforts of Isuzu and Toyota, the most famous model must surely be the Land Rover Defender. Back for the 2021 show, Land Rover presented the Defender Hard Top, shown alongside the Discovery Commercial.

Other returnees to the CV Show 2021 include DFSK, which presented the EC35 and EC31 electric vans. The former is a compact panel van, capable of covering around 150 miles on a charge, while the EC31 chassis cab was also on display.

From taxi to van - the new VN5

LEVC's VN5 was due to debut at last year's cancelled show, and finally got a UK stand this year. The range-extended model is sure to replicate the success of the TX5 taxi on which it is based.

Maxus develops its electric line up

In the pure-electric sector, Maxus has stolen a march on a great many rivals, and represents a significant choice in the sector, even with entrants such as Vauxhall and Toyota. The e Deliver 3 and e Deliver 9 vans were on show, each offering a good driving range, with the Chinese brand also displaying a number of converted models.

Despite a strong showing, there were some notable absentees, which will hopefully be put down to outside factors rather than a lack of enthusiasm for the event. Citroen and Peugeot have already been mentioned, but Nissan and Mercedes Benz - the latter a major player in the CV space but absent for a number of years - were not present either. Neither was Mitsubishi, though this is not too surprising following Mitsubishi Motors' withdrawal from the UK market.

If any of these commercial vehicles sound right for your business or fleet, then get in touch - we'll have plenty of commercial vehicle leasing offers ready for you from standard diesel panel vans to the new electric vans displayed at the CV Show.

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