Don’t worry, it’s still 2019. Despite its 1940s cutesy retro styling, this new - yes, brand-new - Morris JE is a thoroughly modern thing. Because it’s fully electric.

Dig even deeper and you’ll find yet more modern tech. That vintage-looking body is actually made from carbon fibre to keep weight to a minimum, which helps with the projected range of 322 kilometres.

The design emulates the Morris J-Type from 1948, although the newly re-born Morris Commercial says that “the JE is not intended to be a replica or a continuation of the original Morris J-type, but a reimagining of the original, iconic design”. 

For loading and unloading purposes there’s full width doors at the back and a sliding side door on the nearside – that’s where you can tell it’s been designed in Britain, because the sliding door will actually open on to the pavement in left-hand drive countries. *Cough*, Mini Clubman, *cough*.

Morris Commercial reckons the JE can carry a one tonne payload and that its bed is big enough to fit two standard European pallets. All of that carbon doesn’t come cheap, though, prices will reportedly start at around £60,000 (approx. RM321,000). Ouch.  

Still, with a modular chassis underneath, Morris says it’s highly adaptable for future derivatives. Could we see a Morris pickup, minibus or even a camper soon? Watch this space…