Electric vans are hardly a new phenomenon; indeed, several electric vans were in testing as long ago as the 1980s, as Car magazine points out. In the decades since, though, electric vans have risen in quality to the extent that you should definitely consider one if you need to source a new van.
Though electric vans’ market share in the UK is currently just 3.6%, we can expect this to grow dramatically – not least due to environmental concerns. Here are just some electric vans you should particularly consider in the here and now.
Toyota Proactive Electric
If you want an electric van that strikes a nice balance between price and practicality, the mid-sized Toyota Proactive Electric would be a strong candidate. The vehicle’s maximum payload rating of 1,226kg enables it to accommodate most duties that would usually be undertaken with a van.
Only adding to the Proactive’s impressive value for money is the generous 10-year warranty thrown in as part of the overall package.
Fiat E-Ducato
Don’t worry too much if the Proactive would still be too small for your particular needs, as the market’s offering a great-quality full-sized electric van in the form of the Fiat E-Ducato.
Despite its massive 1,885kg payload, easily the largest you will find in any electric van, the E-Ducato is still pretty zippy with its 175-mile range, as you would get if you opt for the larger of the two battery options available with this van.
Citroen e-Berlingo, Peugeot e-Partner and Vauxhall Combo-e
These are all grouped together here due to the significant amount they have in common. If you are placing a strong priority on getting hold of a small van, you can expect stunning performance from any of these three electric models. Each of them comes with an 800kg load capacity as well as a 171-mile range.
If you are considering one of these vans because you are running a relatively cash-strapped small business, you could think about also applying for one of the plug-in van grants the UK government has recently extended, as Logistics Manager reports.
VW ABT e-Transporter
Some businesses could have particularly specialist requirements in electric vans. Fortunately, though, the range of such vans on the market today is probably broad enough to satisfy many such needs.
One good case in point would be if you need a larger towing capacity than most electric vans offer. The VW ABT e-Transporter includes – as is rare for an electric van – a 1,500kg towing capacity, and perusing current van competitions could help you to source other, similarly specialist vehicles.
Nissan e-NV200
If you have only recently started a business, you could be surprised by just how busy you are with running it. Hence, if you would be happy with a small van, you could be utterly thrilled with the Nissan e-NV200 on account of its rapid charging capability.
This vehicle is also class-leading in terms of its payload – that’s 705kg – and load space, while a five-year guarantee is provided with each purchase of the e-NV200.
