Electric vehicle reboot of iconic 1950s van to be made in Wales

An iconic British van of the post-war era is set to return as a zero-emission vehicle — and it will be built in Wales.

Morris Commercial Ltd has chosen Bro Tathan in the Vale of Glamorgan as the production base for its Morris JE, an all-electric reinterpretation of the beloved Morris J-Type, thanks to support from the Welsh Government.

The company will receive financial backing through the Welsh Government’s Economy Futures Fund to establish the facility, which is expected to create around 150 highly skilled jobs. It will also become Wales’s first dedicated manufacturing site for electric vehicles.

Economy Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Evans said the project was “a natural fit for Wales”, citing the country’s growing automotive cluster and strong low-carbon ambitions.

“With our innovative landscape and support for low-carbon concepts, Wales is a natural home for the Morris JE,” she said. “This exciting project will benefit from the robust automotive sector we are developing here, and it will create well-paid jobs as the company brings this historic retro van into the electric era.”

The JE is a sleek, modern homage to the Morris J-Type, a van once ubiquitous on roads in the UK following its launch in 1949.

The original J-Type, marketed as the Morris Commercial J-Type until 1954, was known for its distinctive curved body, forward-control design and sliding doors on both sides — features that made it a favourite among small businesses, delivery services and the Post Office.

The van was produced until 1961, with more than 48,600 made. t was offered in both left- and right-hand drive, and widely sold as a chassis to allow external coachbuilders to convert it into everything from milk floats to ice-cream vans and pick-ups.

The Morris JE keeps that instantly recognisable silhouette but is built around a lightweight recycled carbon-fibre monocoque body and a modern electric drivetrain.

The model will offer a 250-mile range and aims to rival the Ford Transit Custom, Vauxhall Vivaro and VW ID Buzz when it enters full production in late 2026.

Excited

The Bro Tathan site, already home to several advanced manufacturing operations, is expected to help position Wales at the forefront of the UK’s green automotive transition.

Dr Qu Li, CEO of Morris Commercial, said the company was “excited” to begin volume production in Wales.

“This will enable us to start delivering vehicles to long-waiting customers,” she said. “We thank the Welsh Government for its support.”