Better known as a producer of motorhomes in Europe, German manufacturer Hymer unveiled a prototype electrically powered light cargo van at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover, Germany. Designed around what the company refers to as a boat chassis, the spaceframe construction would accommodate the complete electric drivetrain beneath the sandwich floor toward the rear of the chassis. The lightweight chassis is designed to accept a number of bodywork options including a cargo van and passenger car.
Named Team for True Electric AutoMobility, the concept is constructed using aluminum profiles and thermoplastic sandwich construction—chosen to provide a lightweight construction strong enough to offer good impact resistance at a reasonable cost for low-volume production
The Team consists of the boat-shaped chassis structure made up of circular, multiple-chamber aluminum profiles. All-round roll bars in the A- B and C-pillar areas make up the simple spaceframe construction. Hymer claims that with the front and rear crash boxes, this setup allows for some 75% of crash safety requirements
The company claims that it offers 3.0 m³ (106 ft³) of load space volume as a cargo van. A further 200 L (7.1 ft³) of storage space is provided at the front, beneath the hood. Exterior dimensions show an overall length of 4000 mm (157.5 in) and a height of 1720 mm (67.7 in).
The design includes a low-height slide-out loading floor. Hymer quotes an approximate mass for the vehicle with a cargo van body of around 1000 kg (2205 lb), offering a payload of approximately 600 kg (1320 lb). The bare chassis has a mass of approximately 500 to 700 kg (1100 to 1540 lb), depending on battery requirements
The prototype on display was based on a wheelbase of The Hymer Teamo boat chassis construction incorporates a simple aluminum spaceframe and a sandwich floor housing the electric drivetrain. 2700 mm (106.3 in), but Hymer envisages a wheelbase range between 2400 and 2800 mm (94.5 and 110.2 in) as required. Partners for technology include Alcoa Automotive, Continental, Hella, Formtec, IAV, Strähle and Hess, and Taracell.
The prototype on display at the show was produced by specialist model maker BernerProceda, based near Stuttgart, Germany. Using Li-ion batteries, Hymer estimates that the vehicle would have a range of 120 to 150 km (75 to 93 mi). Hybrid and fuel-cell power are also considered in the driveline, in the shape of twin cylinder internal combustion or fuel-cell range-extending power sources. The rear suspension is by self-leveling air springs, while the company expects power to come from an electric motor of approximately 50 kW
