Lunaz
Capital market opens up for vehicle upcycling specialist
Silverstone Technology Park-based firm Lunaz, which remanufactures and electrifies passenger, commercial and industrial vehicles, began 2024 in a strong position to continue its journey towards producing 1,100 upcycled electric vehicles (UEVs) a year, with confi rmation that its upcycled refuse trucks have achieved the highest (fi ve-star) Direct Vision Standard (DVS) rating for driver visibility. T e DVS has been developed by researchers, academics
and representatives from the freight industry, Europe’s leading HGV manufacturers and regulatory bodies. Vehicles are rated from zero stars (poor) up to fi ve stars (excellent). T e DVS fi ve-star rating for Lunaz UEVs is signifi cant
because under Transport for London (TfL) rules, HGV operators can apply for a permit without needing to provide any additional evidence. However, from October 28, 2024, HGVs rated zero to two stars will need to be retro-fi tted with a Progressive Safe System. The five-star rating clears the way for Lunaz UEVs to
enter service in London without any further documents or modifi cations being required.
Safety in focus As a ‘better than new’ upcycled electric vehicle, each Lunaz refuse truck is equipped with a suite of technologies to help drivers see around the vehicle from all angles. T e external camera monitoring system comprises two
assemblies containing three cameras mounted on the top corners of the vehicle, which send images to screens on the dashboard display. T e original wing mirrors are replaced with digitised versions that eliminate rear and blind spots around the UEV. Unlike standard mirrors, these mirrors operate under all conditions, including rain, snow and total darkness, dramatically increasing visibility and safety. T e driver can also see what’s directly in front of and below the vehicle via a dedicated downward-facing camera. In addition to the cameras and mirrors, an object
detection system instantly picks out cyclists, pedestrians and other potential hazards, alerting the driver via the dashboard display screen. T e green light for service in London is another major
step towards the wider adoption of Lunaz UEVs by local authorities as replacements for their end-of-life diesel refuse trucks. By reusing and recycling existing vehicles, Lunaz seeks
to break the destructive replace-with-new cycle, preventing unnecessary landfi ll and minimising the overall lifetime environmental impact of operating commercial vehicle fl eets. A Lunaz UEV is cleaner and better equipped than an all-new electric equivalent, while the restoration and conversion process captures more than 80% of its embedded carbon. A Lunaz UEV can also deliver a 25% lifetime capital
saving over its as-new equivalent, providing greater value for money for local authorities, business operators and taxpayers. Indeed, over a normal seven-year lifecycle a Lunaz UEV matches a polluting diesel refuse truck for total cost of ownership, meaning local authorities and private operators can make the transition to zero emissions vehicles without pressurising existing budgets. Lunaz has pioneered commercial vehicle upcycling and
electrifi cation, a sector predicted to grow tenfold over the next fi ve years, driven by the global transition to net zero and clean-air mobility. Lunaz itself expects to employ 350 staff by the end of 2024 – up from just fi ve when it was founded in 2018 – in pursuit of its stated long-term goal of producing 1,100 vehicles per year.
Find out more at
www.lunaz.tech
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