Electric vans are no longer a thing of the future – they’re important now! Manufacturers across the globe, such as Vauxhall, Renault and Mercedes are now offering electric vans in the UK.
Offering a zero-emissions journey, the benefits are huge for air pollution! Most vans offer a driving range that is more than enough for a day’s work on a delivery route.
Here are the top three electric vans we would recommend!
Why should I switch to electric vans?
Electric vans produce no CO2 or NOx emissions making them the cleanest vehicles to drive and the best for the environment. One of the biggest incentives to switch to electric is the huge savings you could make!
Savings
By driving an electric van you could save up to 80% more in basic running costs than a diesel counterpart. With fewer moving parts on an electric van maintenance costs are also reduced.
All electric vans have a feature called regenerative braking. This is where the energy that’s normally lost when you lift off the accelerator is recycled. This tends to save wear on the brake pads!
The biggest savings when driving an electric van will come from tax and charges. All electric vehicles are exempt from paying any road tax. If you’re working in central London, they are also exempt from the Congestion Charge.
You can also save some pennies when you purchase an electric van by using the government’s low-emissions vehicle grant. This grant will pay for 35% of the purchase price on all electric vans. For small vans there is a maximum limit of £3,000 and for large vans this is £6,000.
Range
Initially there were fears about how far electric vans could travel before needing to charge. This is known as range anxiety. However, manufacturers are determined to create electric vans that can travel further and further.
Now we’re seeing electric vans with ranges of 200 miles, meaning drivers can work a full day without worrying about charging their EV. Amazon has recently increased their European fleet of delivery vans with 1,800 electric Mercedes-Benz eSprinters and eVito vans.
To sum up, electric vans are quiet, environmentally friendly and tick all the right boxes for going green. And they’ll save you some cash along the way! Electric power is being clearly positioned as the future of the automotive industry.
Nissan eNV200
The Nissan eNV200 is the largest electric van on the market at the moment. It’s a compact van making it perfect for congested city streets while producing zero tailpipe emissions.
With an average range of 172 miles there’s no need to be worried about running out of charge during your workday. The eNV200 is also available as a five-seater combi passenger car, but as standard it is 160mm longer than it’s diesel alternative.
Inside, it offers drivers with 4.2 cubic metres of volume and a load bay of 2.04 metres. There are also optional folding passenger seats that extend to 2.8 metres. With a payload at 770kg, this all-electric van beats it’s traditionally-powered counterpart.
The eNV200 comes fitted with a sound generator that makes noise at speeds below 30mph which improves pedestrian safety. It also offers drivers great access with a sliding door on each side. Both hill-start assist and a rear-view camera are included as standard in all of the eNV200 vans.
The vehicle takes up to 8 hours to charge or up to 4 hours with a fast charger. A rapid charger is also available, which can take a flat battery to 80% in just 30 minutes. This is perfect for loading and unloading at a stop with a charge point.
Ahead of its launch, the eNV200 was extensively tested with large companies, including British Gas. This means that any potential issues that could arise during a normal working life should have been highlighted and altered already.
Overall, this van feels nippy and nimble with instant response of the electric motor and single-gear ratio. It is a great, reliable option for those wanting to hire an electric van.
Renault Kangoo ZE
Renault have spent some time upgrading their all-electric Kangoo and have introduced the Kangoo ZE. All of these changes have made the Kangoo more usable for day-to-day life.
This model has a huge 120 miles of range, which is 70 miles more than the previous electric It has also had a battery upgrade to 33kWh. All models are fitted with an 59bhp electric motor, which is a variation of the one Renault uses in the ZOE.
The standard van has a load volume of 3.3 cubic metres and a load length of 640kg. If you’re looking for something slightly bigger, Renault also offers the Kangoo ZE maxi or the Kangoo ZE Crew Van, which has room for up to five people.
A full charge will take you around 6 hours, however this will vary depending on the charger capacity. Quick charge top-up is also possible, which according to Renault, will give you an extra 22 miles in just an hour.
The van is equipped with ZE Voice noise function as standards which will warn pedestrians of the vehicle. A new heat pump has been fitted which has improved efficiency compared to previous models. This now stops the air conditioning from draining the battery, which allows the van to be pre-conditioned while plugged into a charging point. This will have huge benefits for drivers as it means heating or cooling the van can be done without losing any range!
Vauxhall Vivaro-e
The competitive Vauxhall Vivaro-e is the electric van to beat! This all-electric model is one of the best electric vehicles currently available in the UK.
Offering on average 200 miles, drivers can benefit from a long range on any electric van and roughly 50 miles more than the Mercedes eVito.
You can choose between a 50kWh or 75kWh battery when selecting a Vivaro-e. However, here at EVision we have opted for the larger 75kWh battery. The 136bhp electric motor drives the front wheels and thanks to its larger dimensions, there is space available to offer two battery options.
Being the electric van that offers the furthest range and biggest battery, the Vivaro-e is the ideal, reliable choice. Due to the fantastic range, the van does have the longest charging time over roughly 11 hours. This is no big problem though as most EV owners charge their vehicles overnight.
The interior is pretty similar to the standard Vivaro. Why change something that works?! However, the gear lever has been swapped for a neat looking Drive Selector switch. This is accompanied by a rocker switch, which allows drivers to choose between Eco, Normal and Power driving modes.
The biggest difference with the Vivaro-e, compared to the standard model and other electric vans, is the amount of refinement it delivers. It pulls aways in silence with just a hum from the built-in sound generator on-board.
Hire an electric van from EVision
Are you looking for electric van hire? Here at EVision we have a range of EVs available for hiring, including a variety of electric vans. When you hire any vehicle from EVision, our EV specialists are on hand whenever you may need them!
Electric vans currently available at EVision:
We are also branching out to incorporate other brands of electric vans, which will be joining our EVision fleet soon. Our customers can expect to hire a Nissan eNV200 and the Vauxhall Combo-e shortly. Make sure you join our newsletter to be the first to find out more!
You can get in touch with our EV team by giving us a call on 01634 914 063 or via email.
