![\"LDV](\"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/aero-luton-maxus-sm.jpg\" "\\"LDV")
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Although I am sympathetic<\/a> to the plight of LDV’s 900+ workers and would not wish to see another UK manufacturing business* close, I’m not sure whether LDV really deserves to survive.<\/p>\n The problem is that while LDV has sold quite a few of its Maxus vans, it hasn’t made any money – in fact it has lost money for the last four years<\/a>.<\/p>\n On top of that, LDV has gone bust numerous times before<\/a> – hardly an inspiring vote of confidence in its management, engineering ability or product design and marketing.<\/p>\n Finally, from a driver’s point of view, I haven’t heard anything good about the LDV Maxus. Certainly, it is a functional van and can be used to do a job – but by all accounts its durability and general quality is poorer than its main competitors, some of which are also built in the UK (think Ford Transit in Southampton<\/a> and Vauxhall Vivaro in Luton<\/a>).<\/p>\n Given all of this, it’s not surprising that LDV’s management is planning to change the business’s direction to focus on the production of a green, electric van. The only problem with this is that as with all other areas of van production, Ford’s Transit is there ahead of them.<\/p>\n All-electric Transit and Transit Connect vans are already available from Smith Electric Vehicles<\/a> – a British-owned and genuinely profitable company that’s been around for years. From next year, Ford will be selling electric Transit Connect’s under the Ford badge, too, in partnership with SEV.<\/p>\n As if that wasn’t enough competition, Renault is also working hard on electric vehicles<\/a> through its partnership with Nissan, who in turn have a partnership with NEC, one of the world’s leading battery producers.<\/p>\n Does LDV have any of these advantages? No. Does it have a war chest of money to invest in developing this technology? No. It wants to borrow it from us, the taxpayers. Having failed to make a profit with a simple, conventional vehicle in a time of easy credit, it thinks it can make a profit with a difficult, unconventional vehicle that depends on new, sometimes unproven technology.<\/p>\n I’d rather not subsidise that, thanks.<\/p>\n Note:\u00a0<\/strong>In an almost tragically pathetic gesture, a demonstration was arranged this week at LDV’s Washwood Heath, Birmingham<\/a> site to protest at the lack of government support for the company. Just eight people turned up, as reported by the BBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n