By now, most businesses in the UK are familiar with the 2030 deadline set by the government that will ban the sale of all new petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles.
Yes, that includes van and lorries. So, we're going to take a look at whether vans could be viable for use as company vehicles or as part of your business's wider fleet.
What options are available?
Today we're going to be looking at 5 electric vans that are currently available on the UK market.
Ford e-Transit
Vauxhall Vivaro-e
Peugeot e-Partner
Fiat e-Ducato
Mercedes eSprinter
How Do They Compare to Petrol and Diesel Vans?
Loadspace
The Final Van Statistics 2019-2020 report revealed that there were 4.1 million vans registered in the UK at that time. 54% of these vans cited their use as, 'carrying tools, equipment or materials' and 16% cited, 'delivery/collection of goods'.
Therefore, loadspace is an important feature for van drivers across the country. This is a factor that hasn't necessarily been compromised by the switch to electric vehicles. However, the range given by manufacturers is not for a fully-loaded van.
Range
The average ICE van in the UK can do around 250-315 miles on one tank of fuel.
A van with an estimated range of 150 miles would face a large decrease if you factor in multiple passengers and a full load of equipment or deliveries. Cold weather can also bring this mileage down.
Studies done by manufacturers state that on average van drivers travel 70 miles every day. In theory, this means that all of the vans on our list would be suitable for the average van driver since a fully-loaded Ford e-Transit is said to achieve 130 miles per charge.
Charge Time
The average time at a petrol station is under 10 minutes when factoring in queues. The average charge time for a van on a plug socket at home is around 22 hours. Since it costs £700 a day for businesses to have a van off the road, this isn't going to cut it for British businesses.
To make electric vans viable, you need at-work charge points. Charge And Recharge can install a range of chargers on commercial sites, dramatically decreasing the time it takes to charge your electric van and thereby saving your bottom line valuable time and money.
A 22kW charger could charge a Vauxhall Vivaro to 100% in 7 hours, meaning you could simply plug it in at the end of the day ready to go in the morning.
The Verdict
There's no denying that electric vehicles are the future, both in our personal lives and our professional lives.
Could they be the right move for your business? Yes, providing you have the right charging infrastructure around you. Fortunately, you have come to the right place.
To speak to one of our experts, get in touch today with Charge And Recharge!