Emerald Automotive

Emerald Automotive emerged as a specialized design and development firm focused on lightweight, low-emission, and long-range hybrid commercial vehicles. The company was headed by CEO Andy Tempest, a veteran of the British automotive industry. A key driver for its creation was the demand from entities like the UK's Royal Mail, which sought to significantly reduce carbon emissions but found no suitable vehicles on the market.

The company's primary product was the t-001, a range-extended electric panel van targeting commercial fleet operators. This vehicle was engineered to address the operational needs of fleets that drive over 100 miles daily, offering a solution to high fuel costs without sacrificing payload capacity. The t-001 featured a 60-mile all-electric range, which could be extended to over 400 miles by a small onboard engine that functioned as a generator for the battery, significantly reducing emissions. Built on a bespoke aluminum chassis with lightweight composite body panels, the van utilized components from established manufacturers like Ford.

In a significant milestone, Emerald Automotive was wholly acquired by the Chinese automotive conglomerate Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely) in February 2014. This acquisition was the result of a year-long collaboration to plan a series of light-weight, range-extended electric urban vehicles based on Emerald's technology. Geely, which also owns Volvo Cars and the London Electric Vehicle Company, intended to leverage Emerald's expertise to develop next-generation electric taxis and other sustainable vehicles. Following the acquisition, Geely committed to a substantial investment to advance the development of these new vehicles, while retaining Emerald's management team to lead the technological development. The firm, headquartered in Coventry, UK, expanded its operations to include facilities in the USA, Sweden, and China, growing from a small team to over 300 users of its design platforms within five years.

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