The CV Show 2026 - Fuelling Change: The Route to Decarbonising Road Transport
This year saw the return of CPD Bodies to the CV Show 2026, held on 21 – 23 April at the NEC.
With over 320 exhibitors and more than 15,000 visitors, all clipped into the theme Fuelling Change: The Route to Decarbonising Road Transport, Hall 5 at the NEC was absolutely buzzing. The show saw some significant new product launches, including Farizon’s all electric V7E, the next generation of urban-friendly, class leading for cargo capacity and payload panel van; Ford’s Transit City and Chery’s entry into the UK marketplace with its DELIVAN range.
Over at Stand 5A100, within the EV Café, CPD was not without a few major announcements of its own. Over the last year we have been carving a path to practical electrification, working with partners to help ensure their EV LCV conversions meet expectations when it comes to payload, range, cost and operational fit. We’ve also been making sure sustainability goes beyond the vehicle, with the building of our off-grid EV panel van conversion workshop and the introduction of solar across our production site at Stockton-on-Tees. Thus it seemed fitting that the CV Show should see us ‘go public’ with some serious industry impact.
Major Announcement
On the opening day of the show, we announced a strategic partnership with Farizon Auto. The partnership sees us appointed as a Farizon retail dealer in the North East of England; and under the agreement, CPD will become a preferred leasing partner for the brand, and a strategic partner to Farizon and its channel partners on converted panel van solutions. As part of this collaboration, CPD will provide vehicle sales, aftersales support and technical expertise, alongside a dedicated on-site Farizon facility, scheduled to open in summer 2026.
Alongside this not insignificant strategic step, we launched the first of our dedicated products developed on the platform: The Good2Go Zero Welfare Van.
This is a world first for the Farizon brand. Developed for utilities, construction, infrastructure and public sector fleets, the Good2Go Zero welfare van has been engineered to address the very specific problem of how to deliver compliant, on-site welfare without the operational and environmental constraints of diesel. Built on the Farizon SV L3H3 platform, the vehicle combines full battery-electric drive with a purpose-designed welfare conversion powered directly from the onboard traction battery, supported by integrated solar.
Other Vehicle Highlights
Of course, welfare was only part of the story. When it comes to tipper, Lutons, dropsides and panel van conversions, CPD remains OEM-agnostic, working with customers to develop vehicle solutions around operational need.
We showcased the Ford Ranger Wildtrak PHEV as a bridge to electrification option. Built for fleet operations working across road, site and rough terrain, this 4x4 offers serious load capability, proven towing ability and powerful off-road performance. And, with up to 27 miles (43.5 km) of all-electric driving, it handles a meaningful share of urban mileage while reducing emissions and running costs. There was a lot of interest, especially as the superb payload lets the fleet operator incorporate a range of heavy, specialist equipment such as cranes and cherry pickers.
Also on display was the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter 113kWh L3 PRO Luton, which attracted significant interest from facilities management, logistics and urban delivery operators looking to electrify without compromising payload or operational practicality.
Built on the larger 4.25T chassis, but still accessible on a standard 3.5T licence, the vehicle combines high-volume load space with up to ~274 miles WLTP range and fast DC charging capability. Designed and built in-house using lightweight materials, the conversion is engineered to help operators maximise payload, efficiency and usable space, making it particularly well suited to multi-drop and last-mile delivery operations. The vehicle was showcased in partnership with Mertrux.
And finally, the Farizon SV L2 H2 panel van, fitted with lightweight, crash-tested System Edström racking designed specifically with electric vehicles in mind. Built from the ground up as an EV working van, the Farizon combines up to 1,160 kg payload capacity with a practical, well-proportioned load area and a towing capacity of up to 2,000 kg, making it particularly relevant for facilities management, utilities and service-led operations. Our show vehicle featured a fully installed demonstration layout created for the CV Show. The installation also included a floor liner supplied by Legend. CPD offers a range of modular racking configurations that can be tailored to individual fleet and operational requirements.
Be a part of the conversation
Across all three days, one theme consistently emerged from conversations on the stand and across the wider show floor: electrification is no longer simply about the base vehicle. Fleet operators are now looking far more closely at how conversions themselves impact payload, range, uptime and ultimately, total cost of ownership.
For converters like CPD, this creates both a challenge and a responsibility. Material selection, body design, racking configuration, aerodynamics and onboard systems all now play a far greater role in vehicle performance than they once did. As operators work to balance sustainability targets with operational reality, the focus is shifting towards smarter, lighter and more efficient vehicle solutions designed around the way fleets really work.
Finally, we would like to thank everyone who visited the CPD stand. From fleets and leasing providers to utilities, local authorities and SME operators, the quality of conversations across the three days was exceptional, and the content, really exciting. We look forward to continuing many of them over the coming months as we build towards the next stage of our electrification journey.
