LEVC, the maker of London's black cabs, is one of the brands owned by Geely in addition to Lotus, Zeekr, Volvo and Polestar.

Geely unit London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has rolled out an all-electric MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) in China as a new option for this niche market.

LEVC officially launched the MPV, called the L380, at an event yesterday, taking its name from the Airbus A380 to emphasize the spaciousness of the interior.

The brand is the maker of London's black cabs and is one of the brands owned by Geely besides Lotus, Zeekr, Volvo and Polestar.

The L380 is the first model to be built based on LEVC's Space Oriented Architecture (SOA) and is available in four variants -- Air, Pro, Max and Ultra -- with starting prices of RMB 379,900 ($52,300), RMB 439,900 yuan, RMB 479,900 yuan and RMB 479,900 yuan respectively.

The L380 measures 5,316 mm in length, 1,998 mm in width and 1,940 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,185 mm.

The two lower-priced versions are single-motor models and the other two are dual-motor models. Its Max variant is an 8-seater and the rest are 6-seaters.

The single-motor variant has an electric motor with a maximum power of 200 kW and a peak torque of 343 Nm, while the dual-motor variant has a combined maximum power of 400 kW and a combined maximum torque of 686 Nm, and is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds.

The L380 is available with three options of battery packs, with pack capacities of 100 kWh, 116 kWh, and 140 kWh. Its four variants have a CLTC range of 570 km, 675 km, 785 km, and 805 km, respectively.

LEVC is offering a limited time discount for the model, with customers who purchase any of the variants before July 31 getting a discount of RMB 30,000 off, but only for the initial 3,000 units.

LEVC is also offering tens of thousands of RMB worth of other benefits for the model.

LEVC was founded in 1908. In 2006, Geely acquired a 20 percent stake in it, and in 2013 wholly acquired it.

Last December, LEVC began previewing the MPV on Chinese social media, calling the model's codename L380 and likening it to the Airbus A380 to highlight its large interior space.

MPVs are a niche market in China, with sales one-tenth those of traditional sedans or SUVs.

($1 = RMB 7.2654)