Medium vans are the lifeblood of the van world so it makes sense that you want to know what are the best medium electric vans on the market.
As we make the transition away from diesel to electric vans it’s increasingly important to get the facts and find out which is the model that best suits you.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of some of the best electric vans on the market. It’s not in any particular order, although you could be forgiven for thinking that the first ones that pop into your head may well be the best medium sized electric vans on sale at this moment in time.
So here’s a run down of some of our favourites.
If anyone is going to get bums on seats in the electric van market it’s going to be Ford. The eagerly-anticipated electric version of the UK's best-selling van didn’t disappoint when it was launched either.
The Ford E-Transit Custom comes with a choice of electric motors options giving it either 136hp, 217hp or 285hp. Power goes to the rear wheels and is fed from a 64kWh usable battery giving it an official range of up to 203 miles depending on which motor and trim level you choose.
There’s also a crazy fast (and madly modified) Ford E-Transit Custom MS-RT version to really quicken the pulse.
Charging using an 11kW home charger takes around 6.7 hours, or a 10-80% charge can be done in as little as 39 minutes using a 125kW DC charger.
The rear load bay dimensions of the E-Transit Custom are the same as those on offer from the diesel model, with a lower load floor than the previous Ford Transit Custom for improved access. The Ford E-Transit Custom towing capacity is also up to 2,300kg.
All E-Transit Customs come as standard with a 13-inch infotainment touchscreen and there’s a 12.5-inch driver display.
EV forward and reverse 'gear' selection is via a stalk by the steering wheel which gives more space in the centre seat should you need to travel three-abreast.
Mercedes will probably admit that it’s Mercedes-Benz eVito isn’t the best medium sized van on the market but they’ve been finessing the product for a while. The latest version is often called the mid-range Mercedes-Benz eVito as it gets a 66kWh battery, allowing a range of up to 162 miles on the official WLTP cycle. That was a big upgrade from the 80-odd miles you’d get out of the first generation van.
So, why is it in the list of best medium sized electric vans? Well, it’s based on a really capable product and thanks for fast charging it’s now a very usable mid-sized van. An 80% charge can be added in just 35 minutes using a DC rapid charger, making it a versatile worker.
One of the better aspects of Merc’s electric vans is the driving modes and functionality. It has a single-speed forward gear transmission that comes with three driving modes: C (comfort), which offers the most power; E (efficiency), which reduces a bit of the power but improves economy; and E+ (efficiency plus), which provides the most range but significantly reduces performance and cuts back on air conditioning performance.
For those that really like to feel in charge of their van there’s also a choice of regenerative braking settings. The least aggressive at one end of the scale is D+ which allows the vehicle to coast with no retardation. At the other end of the scale is D-which is as close to one-pedal driving as you’ll get in the eVito.
There’s a choice of Progressive and Premium trim levels - the latter of which adds equipment including air-conditioning, a reversing camera, parking sensors, a heated driver's seat and cruise control.
It is also available in either L2 and L3 body lengths which offer load volumes of 6.0m3 and 6.6m3.
It’s definitely the driver’s choice amongst the best medium sized electric vans.
Right… first things first, because of the way Stellantis does vans this little overview could equally apply to any of the other Stellantis medium vans. We’ve chosen the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric as it’s the most popular in the UK, but like the others it’s also recently been updated.
In the case of the Vivaro this included a front-end styling update to incorporate Vauxhall's 'Vizor' fascia but across the board there’s been a more significant update to the Vivaro Electric's powertrain.
There’s a 75kWh battery provide a WLTP range of up to 217 miles (which is 12 miles more than the previous version).
Charging speeds let you charge from 5-80% in under 45 minutes, while power comes from a 136hp motor.
An updated interior includes a pair of 10-inch screens, and wireless smartphone connectivity. There’s a total of 18 ADAS features available.
The Vivaro Electric comes in two lengths - 4.98m and 5.33m - and as a panel van, crew van and platform-chassis. It is also available with a choice of Prime and Pro trim levels.
Three levels of regenerative braking can be chosen from steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and an ePTO (electric power take-off) unit is available to power auxiliary equipment or fridge units from the traction battery.
Renault has been in the electric van game since day one but the Renault Trafic E-Tech is the most recent of their conventional range to get electrified.
It features a 52kWh battery that delivers a range of up to 186 miles on the WLTP cycle - although Renault claims this can get close to 230 miles if the van is solely used on urban routes.
It has a 90kW (122hp) motor which has 245Nm of torque and offers an Eco mode and a 'Long Range' mode that limits speed to 56mph - increasing the WLTP range to a claimed 200 miles.
The Trafic E-Tech line-up is available in two lengths 5,080mm or 5,480mm - and two heights 1,967mm or 2,498mm. Load volumes range from 5.8m3 to 8.9m3 and it has a maximum load length of 4,150mm. It’s also no slouch on payload either with a best payload across the Trafic E-Tech range of up to 1,100kg.
Connectivity is provided through the MyRenault App which enables drivers to schedule battery charging, monitor battery state of charge remotely, pre-heat the cab and identify charging points on route.
Charging speeds range around 40 minutes for a 15% to 80% recharge or as long as 12 hours using a standard single phase charger.
Renault also says a 22kW AC charger will deliver an 80% charge in around one hour 25 minutes.
Is the Maxus eDeliver 5 really one of the best medium electric vans? It’s hard to tell if it really is even a medium van at all. It certainly looks like one but the size of it also crosses over into the realms of smaller vans.
Whatever your thoughts it’s worth a mention here because it’s a very good little package. The 64kWh battery gives it enough for a 208 mile range according to the WLTP test cycle. Its electric motor is also fairly powerful with 120kW and 240Nm of torque.
The reason for the speculation about its status as a medium or small van is its considerable size with 6.6m3 up to 7.6m3 cargo space certainly makes it a mid-size van. It’s also got a stonking payload. There’s payload capacity for up to 1200kg in the eDeliver 5. Which is a lot whatever size you say it is.
