Prince Philip's Early Adoption of Electric Mobility in the 1980s

In the 1980s, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was an early adopter of electric mobility, driving a heavily modified 1980 Bedford CF panel van. The van was part of a joint venture between Bedford and Lucas-Chloride EV Systems, which aimed to clean up urban delivery fleets. The electric CF van was equipped with a 40-kilowatt Lucas electric motor and a 216-volt lead-acid battery pack. This setup featured regenerative braking to recapture energy during deceleration, a remarkably advanced technology for its era.

The Bedford CFE van project attracted international attention, with over 400 production vans built at Dunstable. The Royal Mail ran trials across London and Sheffield, while NASA evaluated prototype units in Michigan. General Motors also imported dozens of vans to America under the "GM Griffon" badge. Prince Philip's interest in the project led to the commissioning of a bespoke six-seater passenger version, finished in metallic paint with a plush leather interior.

The electric van had an ingenious workaround for one of electric motoring's biggest problems: heating. Instead of using an electric heater, which would drain the batteries, engineers installed a tiny diesel-powered unit beneath the floor to keep the royal cabin warm. Prince Philip regularly drove the battery-electric Bedford through central London, enjoying its silent operation and ability to blend into urban traffic.

The Bedford CF was a classic full-size panel van produced from 1969 to 1987 by Bedford, the commercial vehicle division of Vauxhall, a subsidiary of General Motors. The van's design was similar to the Ford Transit, which was introduced earlier in 1965. Despite its innovative technology, the Bedford CFE van eventually disappeared from production due to expiring government development grants.

Prince Philip, born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II and served as consort of the British monarch from her accession on February 6, 1952, until his death in 2021. He was the longest-serving royal consort in British history. Prince Philip visited Tanzania, then known as Tanganyika, in 1961 to represent Queen Elizabeth II during the country's independence celebrations.

During his visit to Tanzania in 1961, Prince Philip piloted himself in a hired plane and made prominent diplomatic stops in Zanzibar and the northern regions of Arusha. He returned to Tanzania 18 years later, accompanying Queen Elizabeth II on an official state visit in July 1979. The Queen's itinerary kept them mostly to official duties in Dar es Salaam.

Today, Prince Philip's one-off electric royal shuttle is preserved at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, standing as a testament to Britain's early and ambitious electric vehicle experiments. The van's legacy serves as a reminder of the country's efforts to adopt sustainable transportation solutions, decades before they became mainstream.

Key points

• Prince Philip's modified 1980 Bedford CF panel van was an early example of electric mobility in the UK.
• The Bedford CFE van project attracted international attention from companies like NASA and General Motors.
• Prince Philip's adoption of electric mobility reflects his interest in innovative technologies and sustainable solutions.