When the first snub-nosed, electric van rolled off the assembly line Sept. 28 at the Electric Last Mile Solutions Inc. plant in Mishawaka, Ind., it was a proud moment for the company’s co-founder and CEO, Jim Taylor. The van, one in a run of 1,000 scheduled for this year, is among the first of its kind in the U.S. market: a fully electric, light-duty vehicle meant for delivery workers, contractors and other commercial fleets.
“Who else is starting up this month?” asks Taylor, checking through the list of major auto manufacturers and startups, from Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. to Arrival Ltd. and Canoo Inc., that have announced plans to build electric vans.
