Hyundai Motor has started production of the company’s first multi-purpose light commercial vehicle (LCV), the all-new H350, in Europe last month. The vehicle has been designed, engineered and manufactured in Europe, for sale across Europe.

 The H350 will be manufactured by Hyundai Motor’s long-term production partner, Karsan Automotive, located in Bursa, Turkey. The all-new vehicle is built on a flexible platform that supports three body styles – van, bus and chassis-cab.

“With the start of production of the all-new H350 today, Hyundai Motor will begin to play a key role in the European commercial vehicle sector. This portion of the market is forecast to grow significantly over the next few years, so now is the right time for Hyundai Motor to enter Europe’s big van segment. Built in Europe, the H350 has been developed and tailored to meet the specific needs of most demanding customers across the region,” said Byung Tae Yea, executive vice-president of Hyundai Motor Company.

The 3.5 tonne (GVW) H350 van will be available with a choice of 5.5 metre or 6.2 metre overall lengths delivering best-in-class cargo capacity (12.9 m3) and the unique ability to carry five Euro-standard pallets. The 4.0 tonne (GVW) H350 bus offers customers two 13+1 seat layouts and a choice of passenger access doors. The Turkish plant will also build the flexible H350 chassis-cab, which provides an efficient, versatile and robust foundation for customized bodywork for cargo boxes up to 4.0 metres long and 2.32 metres wide.

Sales of the H350 have begun in Turkey last month with availability in eight other European countries starting from June, before expanding further across Europe in 2016.