We knew the all-electric Morris J-type redux was going to be cool, but we weren't quite prepared for just how much we want to pinch its chubby little fenders. Combine those fenders with the buttery-smooth, arched roof, body-color wheels, beady headlights and creased windshield, and you have a van that's delightfully British retro. Below its mid 20th century-influenced skin, the JE packs a cutting-edge electric powertrain and modular chassis that could lead to additional variants, including a pickup truck and camper van. Yes, please.
Rather than simply recreate the original J-type, a van it likens to the Mini and Land Rover Defender in terms of legendary Britishness, Morris Commercial reimagines the classic as a proper modern-day light commercial vehicle, pulling out creases and rounding corners with ultralight carbon fiber construction.
The pear-shaped grille is there, but not quite so large and a little smoother than the original. The split windshield is also subtler, an off-color crease rising to a slight spine that splits the rounded roof. The profile is cleaner, the inset sliding curbside door replaced by a flush combination of front passenger door and sliding rear cabin door. The fenders and headlamps are as distinctive as ever, but more cleanly integrated into the greater body aesthetic.
![The Morris JE electric van, in all its quirky glory](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/14f3321/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4898x3265+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8e%2F00%2F2bbcad5f4e2c991d78d7bfaeb0e8%2Fmorris-je-10.jpg)
The original Morris J-type relied on a forward-control engine layout for its hoodless front-end and tiny overhang, but the new JE steps into the present with a decentralized electric powertrain. Power is supplied by a lithium-ion battery offering up to 200 miles (322 km) of range with help from the lightweight carbon fiber design.
Morris believes the JE will quickly find a passionate customer base among companies looking to stand out from the pack with a unique, eco-friendly promotional or utility van. The 2.5-tonne van offers a payload of 1 tonne (2,200 lb), with 5.5 cu m (194 cu ft) of storage accessed straight through the rear double doors.
![A very stylish interior pairs with the blue-and-cream exterior for serious pop](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/43751b0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7394x4932+0+0/resize/1439x960!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc7%2Fbb%2F0fb69dc143f78e52a505ca6e01a0%2Fmorris-je-11.jpg)
Morris debuted the JE on Tuesday at The Design Museum in London. It plans to begin production in late 2021, selling the JE for a base price of £60,000 (approx. US$77,275). About those other body styles, Morris says: "The vehicle benefits from a lightweight, modular chassis, making it highly adaptable for future derivatives, such as a pickup, minibus or camper van." It also vows to never produce an ICE-based vehicle, so any future models will also be electrified.
$60K plus the cost of conversion might be a bit rich in a market that sells sweet camper vans like the Le-Tour for under £35,000, but the JE certainly would make a stylish, little pop-top with the ability to glamp up the campsite by using extra battery power for accessories like TVs and electric cooking appliances.
Source: Morris Commercial