5 Best Electric Vans

Electric vans provide the same benefits as electric cars, but there are some additional challenges that private drivers won’t have to factor in. The obvious benefit of an electric van is the lack of emissions, with EV vans being able to drive around without producing any tailpipe emissions. Cleaner, greener driving is always a great aspiration to chase and electric vans are now making that a reality.
However, there are some compromises with electric vans - lower ranges than a full tank of fuel will offer and lower payloads than diesel or petrol vans, being chief among them. That said, technology is always advancing and offering more range and stronger payloads, and these will improve with every new version. So, let’s take a look at the best of what’s on offer right now.

The new Renault Kangoo is a great pick available in two body variations: the Kangoo and Kangoo Maxi. You also have the option of two interior trims: Business or Business+. Customise the Kangoo to suit your specific needs and preferences and you will find it to be a capable workhorse. It's already a Van of the Year winner, so the only way is up! It offers up to 186 miles of range and can carry up to a 760kg payload, very compelling indeed and earns the top spot for being a great van in general with a strong showing for range and payload in its size class.
Check out the new Renault Kangoo E-Tech on Auto Trader.

For those in need of a large van, the Ford Transit will no doubt be on your list – it named the entire vehicle type. Not only is it big and durable, but it also boasts a car-like interior and a massive range of body types and conversions. The electric version is a marvel of modern van design with plenty of options, safety kit and range to enjoy. It offers up to 196 miles of range and can carry up to a 1700kg payload - admittedly it’s taken a while for Ford to get there with electric versions of their vans, but so many are now on the way and the E-Transit is on this list for leading the way.
Check out the new Ford E-Transit on Auto Trader.

For those in search of a versatile van, the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric medium van is a popular one. It boasts an appealing design and offers substantial payload capacity. Inside, the cabin is designed for comfort, making it a well-rounded choice for a van. The electric version is now on offer with the latest version featuring an all-new look. It’s currently the best-selling electric medium van in the UK and that’s down to its solid figures - up to 190 miles of range on a single charge and it can carry up to a 1220kg payload.
Check out the new Vauxhall Vivaro Electric on Auto Trader.

The Iveco eDaily shares its chassis, bodies and styling with the standard Daily. This means that it can be offered in as many as up to 200 variations including chassis cab, crew cab, drop-side pickups, freezer trucks, and various other conversions. eDaily in its panel van format comes in five lengths, three roof heights and various weight classes from 4.2 tonnes to the 7.2-tonne variant for heavy-duty requirements. Quoted figures are up to 220 miles of range and up to a 1598kg payload although this is achieved in the version with three battery packs only. It’s a tough van with electric style now available, what’s not to like?
Check out the new Iveco eDaily on Auto Trader.

Maxus proudly holds the distinction of introducing the world to the first-ever ground-up electric small van, the Maxus eDeliver 3. This capable small-medium van (it’s a size all of its own) provides an impressive range of over 200 miles, a maximum payload of 900kg, and the knowledge that it has been purpose-built to serve as a practical electric commercial vehicle. More and more people are driving them these days, why not join them? Those figures are more accurately expressed as up to 213 miles of range and up to a 945kg payload, which for a van of this size is very strong.
Check out the new Maxus eDeliver 3 on Auto Trader.

Below are the factors to consider when deciding whether an electric van will work for you or not.

An electric van won’t be subject to any of the inner-city charges that are either already in place or are planned for the coming years. In London, electric vans are exempt from the Ultra Low Emission Zone charge that operates 24 hours a day and costs £12.50.
EV vans are also exempt from the London Congestion Charge (£15.00 a day as of 22 June) although that will end in 2025. As all the current electric vans are classified as light commercial vehicles, they are not eligible for the LEZ that applies to heavy duty vans and trucks. Future charge zones are designed to reduce pollution in urban areas above all else so it is highly likely that electric vehicles will be exempt from charges in other cities for the foreseeable future, too.

The range that an electric van can travel between charges is the biggest barrier for many, and it is fair to say that a battery-powered van will not be able to replace a diesel model if you are going to do anything other than short-distance urban deliveries or predictable daily routes.
Range will be impacted by how fast you drive, how cold the weather is and, crucially, how much weight you carry in the back. Hauling around a full payload could reduce the range by around 10%, or 10 miles or more, so it is a notable factor.

The extra weight of the batteries can have an impact on how much you can carry in the back of an electric van, and this is true to a greater extent on larger vans, which need more batteries to be able to provide an acceptable range.
Authorities have worked to mitigate this, though. Standard licence holders will be able to drive an electric van with a gross vehicle weight of up to 4.25 tonnes – the weight limit for normal vans is 3.5 tonnes. The catch is that drivers will have to carry out five hours of training to prepare for driving a heavier vehicle. The actual van is no different, but the classification allows it to carry more weight and therefore have a higher payload. Large vans are able to offer a payload in excess of a tonne, so electric vans need not be relegated to delivering flowers and pillows.

One major factor with an electric van is how long it takes to recharge it – however rapid a charger you have it will still take longer than popping into a filling station and refuelling a tank of diesel.
However, with planning it is possible to fit more than one charge in a day. Rapid chargers can often provide 80% of charge in around 40 minutes, which could be planned into a lunch break or similar, and home charging stations should be able to replenish the battery overnight. A three-pin plug is a real last-resort option, though – it will likely take all day or more.

The Government is currently offering a plug-in grant to incentivise buyers to go for an electric van. Although the car plug-in grant has been removed in recent Budgets, the van one has been left unchanged. Currently, the OZEV Plug-In Van grant will pay for 35% off the price of an electric van, up to a maximum of £5,000.