Electric van guide: Everything you need to know about EV vans

The definitive guide to electric van leasing

With the cost of living rising, it’s more important than ever that your van works for you, not against you.

Though the electric van market has taken a little longer to get going, it’s exploded over the past few years, with all the major manufacturers now offering at least one commercial EV option. And while most of these are electrified versions of combustion engine models, the technology is ever improving and many brands – including Tesla – are starting to manufacture electric vans that have been designed to be electric vans.

This means that switching to electric isn’t just limited to last-mile delivery companies in major cities, who have been the major target of van electrification so far.

An electric van lease is now a viable option for any business that can comfortably drive within the range limitations and charge the van overnight – which means that even if you’re a rural company, you don’t have to write off the electric option completely.

For delivery companies and businesses clocking up some serious mileage, electric van tech still has further to go.

But with the way the world is changing, switching to an electric van is something that many businesses will have to consider over the coming years.

In this guide, we’re throwing open the doors to the daunting world of electrification and breaking down everything you need to know about leasing an electric van.

Is an electric van right for me?

Unfortunately, we can’t answer this question for you.

Our expert leasing consultants are on hand if you need to talk it through, but there is one major factor you should consider when it comes to making the switch: the battery range.

This, above nearly anything else, will give you an indication of whether an electric van is right for you and – if it is – which EV is going to suit your business.

A van like the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter with its claimed WLTP range of around 90 miles isn’t going to suit if you’re frequently travelling upwards of 80 miles each day. But it would suit an urban business who needs a large van, does around or below 80 miles, and has easy access to a plug.

Alternatively, a van like the Fiat e-Ducato with its claimed 229-mile range is going to be more suitable if you’re covering some serious mileage during the working week or can’t get to a charger as frequently.

Electric van range

In the EV world, the WLTP mileage that a manufacturer claims a van can do is likely to be slightly different to the real-world range that you’ll get.

The Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) is a lab test designed to give a realistic view of how far an electric vehicle can travel on a single charge, but like with any test environment, it’ll never completely replicate how vans are driven day to day.

It gives you a good starting point and it’s a solid indication of how far you’ll be able to travel on a single charge.

Most of the electric vans available to lease now have a quoted range of between 100 and 200 miles which, with many businesses travelling on average 70 miles a day, is more than enough. It’s worth keeping track of how many miles you average per day, so when it comes time to look for your next electric van lease, you’ll know exactly which van will work for you.

Reduced running costs

This will be music to your ears – across its whole lifespan, an electric van could save you money when compared to the total running costs of a diesel or petrol van.

The cost-per-mile of running a van on electricity rather than traditional fuel works out cheaper, while maintenance costs and service charges tend to be lower because electric vans don’t have as many moving parts. There are no pistons, no oil to change, no clutch in the gearbox.

An electric van won’t wear out as quickly as a combustion engine van will, putting more money into your pockets and keeping your vans on the road for longer. Even your brake pads and discs should last longer than normal, thanks to the regenerative braking recovering energy and reducing your speed whenever you take your foot off the pedal.

You’ll also benefit from the government plug-in van grant, which knocks some money off the purchase price of the van. Electric vans also qualify for reduced Benefit-in-Kind tax, and you might be able to access grants to help reduce the cost of installing a workplace charger.

What is the government plug-in van grant?

The plug-in van grant reduces the upfront cost of an electric van by up to 35%.

It’s an incentive introduced by the UK government to get more businesses to switch to greener technology, with a similar scheme for cars being scrapped earlier in the year.

Good news for van drivers though: the government announced back in March that the plug-in van grant has been extended for another two years, so you can benefit from the reduced prices until March 2024.

And it can mean some hefty savings for you, with the purchase price of small vans being reduced by up to £2.500, and large vans discounted by up to £5,000.

To qualify for the grant, the electric van – whether it’s a full battery electric vehicle of a plug-in hybrid – needs to be able to travel over 60 miles with zero emissions, and to emit less than 50g/km of CO2 emissions.

Small vans that qualify for the grant include the Citroen e-Berlingo, Nissan e-NV200, Peugeot e-Partner, Vauxhall Combo-e, and the Toyota Proace City Electric. Large vans that qualify include the Citroen e-Relay and e-Dispatch, Fiat e-Ducato, Mercedes-Benz eSprinter and eVito, Renault Master e-Tech, Toyota Proace Electric, and the Vauxhall Vivaro-e.

Help your business become more sustainable

Whether you’re a business of one or you run a whole fleet of vans, switching to electric can help reduce your carbon footprint.

Electric vans produce no CO2 or NOx emissions as they drive around, which means that their widespread adoption – especially in congested towns and cities – could help to improve air quality in urban areas, alongside helping to reduce your businesses impact on the planet.

It also means that in a lot of areas where congestion charges are in place, your van will be exempt.

And with most of the major cities looking to introduce Ultra Low Emission Zones (if they haven’t already), an electric van might be the only way to carry goods into big cities without incurring a financial penalty.

Where do electric vans work best?

Though it is true that EVs are likely to work best for urban businesses, this doesn’t rule out other users.

If you drive a similar route every day, know how many miles you drive on average, and can plug your van in overnight to charge, you shouldn’t have any issues switching to an electric van.

Most companies using EVs plug their vans in overnight, drive them within their limits during the day, and then set them to recharge overnight again, limiting any chance they might run out of juice.

A lot of chargers use smart technology now, which means you can plug your van in when you get home or back to work, but it won’t start charging until the electricity is at its cheapest, meaning you won’t have to pay over the odds or get up at midnight to get your van back to full.

What are electric vans like to drive?

In many ways, electric vans are a lot more refined.

They’re quieter at speed, with no diesel rattle, which makes for a much more relaxing experience – especially if you spend hours in your van everyday.

It’s a sprightly experience too, with the instant torque giving you responsive acceleration around town. If you’ve never experienced instant torque before, you’re in for a treat: there’s no waiting around for the engine to kick in. You’re off the starting line before you can even say ‘go’.

There’s no clutch, no gearbox, and an electric van is also a lot easier on its brakes, with the regenerative braking allowing for ‘one pedal driving’. In other words, when you lift your foot off the accelerator, the electric motor turns into a generator which not only recovers energy to top up the battery, but also slows the van down.

Master this skill and watch the road, and you’ll find that you can drive for long periods without needing to use conventional brakes at all.

Are there payload issues with electric vans?

Short answer: no.

Long answer: sort of, but only with the larger vans.

The added weight of the electric motor isn’t a problem for smaller vans, but it can be for larger vans. The legal maximum gross vehicle weight for a standard UK driving licence is 3.5 tonnes, and a lot of larger vans make the most of this to maximise the amount of stuff they can hold.

And since the base weight of an electric vehicle is generally more than a van with a diesel engine, this can leave less capacity for payload.

But the government has stepped in to help counter this, allowing standard car licence holders to drive electric vans weighing up to 4.35t in some circumstances. This is known as the ‘alternative fuel payload derogation’, and the extra weight allowance compensates for the extra heft of the battery – so you shouldn’t see much difference in carrying ability.

Making the switch from combustion engine van to electric has never been easier.

With a whole range of vans, sizes, and ranges to pick from, there’s sure to be an electric van that’ll suit your business. If you’d like to chat through your options, get in touch with our expert team, and they can help you decide which electric van is right for you.