The hearse goes electric with Ford Mustang Mach-E styling

UK hearse and limo maker Coleman Milne has launched an all-electric hearse and limousine range. Based on the popular Ford Mustang Mach-E electric car (EV) platform, the new Etive joins a hybrid Mercedes E-Class and Tesla Model S in this unusual yet common sub-category of commercial vehicle.

With a 75kW battery, both Etive hearse and limo designs can be styled with right- or left-hand drive. That battery will output roughly two hundred miles of range and the Etive is also capable of recharging 10-80 per cent in just under 40 minutes.

Championing its noiseless operation, there’s no occasion that calls for silence more than the passing of a beloved. Internally, there’s space for three bearers, glass roof and space for personal tributes. Externally, an aerodynamic wreath rail, powerlift tailgate and illuminated signage make this quite the silent swaggerwagon in which to bid farewell to loved ones.

Conversely the limo seats seven passengers, in addition to the driver. It can be specced with privacy glass and a glass partition. Just like the regular passenger Mach-E, the Etive is kitted out with Ford’s Sync infotainment system, 15.5” central display, reverse parking camera and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) tech, including Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW). As at the gates of St Peter, there’s also keyless entry.

Named after a river in the Scottish Highlands, the Etive is the latest in the lower-emission line-up of electrified ceremonial cars where Bolton-based coachbuilder Coleman Milne has pioneered the use of a plug-in hybrid Merc and Tesla Model S in this segment - the latter in collaboration with Binz International.