With a payload of 1200kg compared to the market standard 100kg, the body has been dubbed the Icon and was unveiled at the NEC fitted to a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis cab.
Bevan said the Icon’s slanted front was developed in partnership with Cranfield University and tested in a wind tunnel. It claimed the shape enables the Icon to cut through the air more easily, and thus economically, than a traditional flat fronted Luton.
The modular body is largely made from fibreglass rather than metal and wood and was designed using three-dimensional CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics).
Managing director Anthony Bevan said the firm would initially place the Icon with 20 customers.
He said the Icon’s aerodynamic performance made it ideal for motorways while its payload capacity suited it to urban environments.
The body comes with a three-year aftercare package that includes six-monthly on-site check ups.
Bevan claimed “a very conservative estimate” would see the Icon deliver savings of 9% compared to a conventional Luton body.
In addition to the Sprinter, the Icon is already compatible with the VW Crafter and will be adapted to other vans, including the Ford Transit.
