Electric Van of the Year 2021: Vauxhall Vivaro-e
The Vauxhall Vivaro-e is the 2021 Auto Express Electric Van of the Year, with the LEVC VN5 and Renault Zoe Van commended
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.
Commended
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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