It’s great that we can and may all start driving electrically, but what about electric commercial vehicles? Is there any choice there?
Most electric cars in our country are still passenger cars, but with the proliferation of environmental zones and diesel bashing, the entrepreneur will also have to electrify. But yes, a gardener or a contractor has nothing to do with a Dacia Spring or a Tesla Model X. What can you choose from in terms of electric commercial vehicles?
Compact commercial vehicles
The choice is now huge. In all shapes and sizes. We’ll go through it with you in order of format. First of all, the compact commercial vehicles. The offer here is now quite large.
First of all, a quintuplet that comes from the same factory. The Peugeot e-Partner, the Citroën ë-Berlingo, the Opel Combo-e, the Fiat e-Doblò and the odd one out, not from Stellantis but still a bit, The Toyota Proace City Electric.
The specs of these electric commercial vehicles are, as expected, almost identical. The payload of the cars is about 800 kilograms, which is about 200 kilograms less than the fuel brothers. Indoor space is just as great. The electric motor has a capacity of 100 kW and the orderers are equipped with a battery pack of 50 kWh.
Range is about 275 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. A trailer up to 750 kg is possible. The biggest difference between them is the 10-year warranty that Toyota offers compared to the 2 years that the Stellantis brands offer. That can make all the difference for an entrepreneur.
Compact Triplets
More brands are working together. The Renault Kangoo, the Mercedes-Benz Citan and the Nissan Townstar are brothers. The first is now fully electric to order, the two stepbrothers will follow later this year.
So we stick to the specs of the Renault. The Kangoo E-Tech, as the fully electric variant is called, has a range of up to 320 km (WLTP) and is equipped with a 44 kWh battery pack. It is available with a charging capacity of 11 kW and there is a version with a charging capacity of 22 kW. In terms of cargo space, there is no difference with the fuel versions. Fast charging is not standard, but an option for 800 euros.
The maximum payload is a bit disappointing. With a maximum of 537 kilos, this is limited for a company car. A braked trailer can carry up to 1,500 kilograms.
Medium commercial vehicle
There is also a choice for a size larger. Even more than with the compact electric commercial vehicles. Here too we kick off with the quintuplets that are being built by Stellantis. The Peugeot e-Partner, the Citroën ë-Jumpy, the Opel Vivaro-e, Fiat e-Scudo and the Japanese stepsister the Toyota Proace Electric.
With these five, there is a choice of a 55 or a 75 kWh version. One will take you 230 km with a full battery and the other 330 km. The payload is around 1,000 kilograms (depending on the version) and the maximum towing weight is also 1,000 kilograms.
Mercedes under the vans
This should of course not be missing from the list of electric commercial vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz eVito. The battery pack has a capacity of 66 kWh, giving the car a range of up to 286 kilometers. The load capacity differs per length, but is a maximum of 848 kilograms. Big disadvantage, towing a trailer is not possible, the towing weight is zero kilograms.
Volkswagen and Ford
The Volkswagen and Ford brands are not represented in the compact electric commercial vehicles. We start with the most imaginative one: the Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo. Loosely inspired by the original VW bus, the Bulli. We’ll have to wait until the end of the year, but then it’s here.
The ID.Buzz Cargo comes with a 77 kWh battery pack, which is good for 424 kilometers (WLTP) range. The maximum payload is 650 kilos. The ID.Buzz Cargo can also tow a maximum of 1,000 kilos. You can now pre-order.
Only available at the end of next year, but we want to mention it anyway; the Ford E-Transit Custom. Fully electric version of the well-known Transit Custom bus. A range of up to 380 kilometers, a payload of up to 1,100 kilograms and the reason why we are already mentioning it here for next year, a maximum towing weight of up to 2,000 kilograms.
The latter makes it just about the first among electric commercial vehicles of this size that is starting to become interesting for contractors and the like, for example. Because with a towing weight of 1,000 kilos, you don’t do much if you are plastering or demolishing a house and want to dispose of waste.
Largest vans
Then there is only one category of vans left. The busses. For all parcel deliverers and hard workers who really need space. This time we don’t start with the electric commercial vehicles from Stellantis, but with the Volkswagen e-Crafter. It has a range of 115 kilometers and a payload of 970 kilograms. These are only small packages, otherwise the bus will be too heavy. No trailer possible.
You can also go to Renault for a large bus, the Renault Master E-Tech. Here, a maximum of 1,100 kilos of payload and a range of 120 kilometers. No trailer possible.
Mercedes-Benz offers a little more range with the eSprinter. A distance of 142 kilometers is promised. A load capacity of up to 1,000 kilograms is possible, depending on which version of the battery pack you choose. Bigger package, is more weight, is less payload. Towing a trailer is also not an option here.
Stellantis quadruplets
Hey, no quintuplets? No, Toyota does not purchase large electric commercial vehicles from Stellantis. So here’s a quadruplet. They are the Peugeot e-Partner, the Citroën ë-Jumper, the Opel Movano-e and the Fiat eDucato. There are variants with a range of 200 to 340 kilometers. Payload depends on the brand and version you choose. There are many variables here.
Ford E-Transit
A special piece for the Ford E-Transit. Available later this year. With a payload of up to 1,967 kilograms, a range of up to 317 kilometers and a trailer of up to 750 kilograms is possible, but not with all versions. Very useful for the local parcel farmer.
Is that all?
No. Because, for example, you can also opt for a Ford F-150 Lightning pick-up truck via the gray import. Or what about the Kia e-Soul Cargo? with a range of 452 kilometers and the comfort of a passenger car?
In short, if you are looking for electric commercial vehicles, there is now something to choose from. Small, big, huge, luxury, pickup. Everything is possible. But look carefully at what you need. Do you drive long distances, do you have to tow a heavy trailer or do you only transport clothes within an environmental zone in a city? Now there is something for everyone.
If, in the long term, everyone also has to be fully electric with regard to company cars, there is still some work to be done. Perhaps hydrogen is already building electric delivery vans such as Stellantis and Renault has announced it could do even more in this regard. With less battery weight and longer ranges, payload and usability also increase, of course. All without CO2 emissions. While driving…
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