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Auto Express
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Electrification is big news in the van market, which is why we’ve created this new category. The Vauxhall Vivaro-e is a worthy first winner, because it helps to banish concerns about range anxiety. The Vivaro-e shares its technology with the Citroen e-Dispatch, Peugeot e-Expert and Toyota Proace Electric vans, but unlike those three it also comes as a five-seat Crew Van, which edges it ahead.
Power comes from a 134bhp electric motor, while the van’s long platform means there’s room for 50kWh or 75kWh batteries. Even the smaller pack offers a WLTP-rated range of 133 miles where rivals are struggling to break 100 miles, while the 75kWh version is rated at 195 miles. In addition, the Vivaro-e is more like a car to drive than a commercial vehicle and features the latest safety kit.
LEVC VN5
If you’re an electric sceptic, then taxi maker LEVC offers its range-extending VN5 plug-in hybrid van. It uses the same running gear as the TX taxi, so has a similarly tight turning circle, a 60-mile electric-only range and a maximum range of 300 miles once the petrol engine cuts in.
Renault Zoe Van
For the Zoe Van, Renault has simply ditched the back seats of its supermini, added a level floor and blacked-out rear windows, and fitted a mesh partition. The running gear and cabin remain unaltered, so you get the same range of 245 miles and all the connectivity you could need.
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Power comes from a 134bhp electric motor, while the van’s long platform means there’s room for 50kWh or 75kWh batteries. Even the smaller pack offers a WLTP-rated range of 133 miles where rivals are struggling to break 100 miles, while the 75kWh version is rated at 195 miles. In addition, the Vivaro-e is more like a car to drive than a commercial vehicle and features the latest safety kit.
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LEVC VN5
If you’re an electric sceptic, then taxi maker LEVC offers its range-extending VN5 plug-in hybrid van. It uses the same running gear as the TX taxi, so has a similarly tight turning circle, a 60-mile electric-only range and a maximum range of 300 miles once the petrol engine cuts in.
Renault Zoe Van
For the Zoe Van, Renault has simply ditched the back seats of its supermini, added a level floor and blacked-out rear windows, and fitted a mesh partition. The running gear and cabin remain unaltered, so you get the same range of 245 miles and all the connectivity you could need.
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