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The Government is pushing for all vehicles to be electric in the coming years, and even if you really want to help the environment and do your part, it can get confusing. Here we hope to be able to give you some detailed information on a like for like basis for a small, medium and large van, so no matter what size van you might need for your business, all the information is here.
We are going to compare and contrast a van from each section, the exact same van to try and give a clear picture as possible to help make that switch easier for you.
The small van can be so versatile, it can be used as part of a fleet to transport many loads of goods to various places, or it can be used for jobs such as parcel delivery, food delivery, flower delivery, electrician, plumber, gardener, really the jobs are endless.
We have chosen to look at the Peugeot Partner and the e-Partner, so diesel or electric, you are getting the same van.
| Comparison | Peugeot e-Partner | Peugeot Partner |
| Range | 170 miles per full charge | 50 Litre Tank (about 550 miles) |
| Payload | 803 kg Payload | 986 kg Payload |
| Load Length | 1817 mm Load Length | 1817 mm Load Length |
| 0-62mph | 0-62 mph in 11.2 seconds | 0-62 mph in 11.5 seconds |
| Engine Power | Engine Power 100KW | Engine Power 75 KW |
| Top Speed | Top Speed 84 mph | Top Speed 102 mph |
| Navigation | i Cockpit head up display | i Cockpit head up display |
| Infotainment | 8-inch touch screen display | 8-inch touch screen display |
| Parking | Rear Parking sensor | Rear Parking sensor |
| Wheels | 16-inch wheels | 16-inch wheels |
As you can see, there are few differences between the actual vans. The most obvious one, after mileage, is that the payload (the amount of weight that you can carry in your van) is slightly smaller in the electric van than the diesel one.
183 kg is a significant difference, especially if you are going to use your van to transport heavy goods around, if that is not your business, then this might not impact you, meaning that the switch is a great idea for you.
It is also worth noting here that whilst on first look, it looks like the diesel gets you further with its engine size and range of about 550 miles compared to the electric van only giving you 170 miles per charge, but as long as you factor in recharging stops to your journey then the EV can take you just as far.
If your business requires a larger van, then you may want to look at something like the Vauxhall Vivaro and the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric which is a good all-rounder, it has plenty of space in the back if you need to transport large items, and a side sliding doors means that you can get larger items in and out much easier.
| Comparison | Vauxhall Vivaro Electric | Vauxhall Vivaro |
| Range | 205 miles per full charge | 70 Litre Tank (about 600 miles) |
| Payload | 1000 kg Payload | 1170 kg Payload |
| Load Length | 2512 mm Load Length | 2512 mm Load Length |
| 0-62mph | 0-62 mph in 14.3 seconds | 0-62 mph in 12 seconds |
| Engine Power | Engine Power 100KW | Engine Power 74 KW |
| Top Speed | Top Speed 81 mph | Top Speed 90 mph |
| Navigation | i Cockpit head up display | i Cockpit head up display |
| Parking | Rear Parking sensor | Rear Parking sensor |
| Wheels | 16-inch wheels | 16-inch wheels |
Much like the comparison for the Peugeot with the small van, there isn’t really any difference between the two Vauxhall Vivaro vans, yes you get more miles per tank of diesel, but again as long as you factor in stops along your journey to recharge your battery then any distance that you need to travel shouldn’t be a problem.
Again there is a difference in the payload weight, with the diesel version being able to carry 170 kg more than the EV, this is mainly down to the weight of the battery that is needed to power the medium-sized van, and you can see that the engine power on the EV is bigger by 25 KW than the diesel, meaning it won’t be sluggish when pulling a full load.
The largest van we will be comparing is the classic Ford Transit. The UK’s most popular and trusted van, but can it still perform as the e-Transit when it’s running on a battery and not diesel?
| Comparison | Ford e-Transit | Ford Transit |
| Range | 159 miles per full charge | 70 Litre Tank (about 600 miles) |
| Payload | 1035 kg Payload | 1307 kg Payload |
| Load Length | 3044 mm Load Length | 3494 mm Load Length |
| 0-60mph | 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds | 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds |
| Engine Power | Engine Power 135 KW | Engine Power 96 KW |
| Top Speed | Top Speed 81 mph | Top Speed 99 mph |
| Towing | Max Towing Weight 750 kg | Max Towing Weight 750 kg |
| Infotainment | 12-inch touch screen display | 12-inch touch screen display |
| Technology | Keyless Start | Keyless Start |
| Wheels | 16-inch wheels | 16-inch wheels |
| Access Features | Kerbside side opening doors | Kerbside side opening doors |
| Access Features | 180 degree opening rear doors | 180 degree opening rear doors |
The large van comparison is the most interesting, you can see that not only is there a marked difference with the miles it can travel compared to a single refuel of diesel, but the payload and the load length are both smaller. 272 kg in payload and 450 mm in length, this could be significant to your business, as presumably you have a large van because you have a large and heavy load to transport.
This is also the same if you were to look at the Maxus Deliver 9 and the Maxus E Deliver 9. Like the Ford, the electric version has a significantly smaller payload and load length.
The mileage is also lower on the Maxus E Deliver 9, with only 146 miles per charge and its diesel counterpart comes with an 80 litre tank (around 650 miles depending on your load) meaning that there will be less time stopping to fill up or recharge and more time actually driving and making your business money.
After looking at all the examples, hopefully we have been able to answer your questions. Our conclusion is that small or medium vans really can pull their weight and really give their diesel counterparts a run for their money, they are competitively priced, come equipped with all the same technology, and have the same power, if not more, you only have to perhaps be a little more prepared and know where and when you are going to stop to recharge and maybe coincide it with a rest break or lunch break.
The large vans seem to still be lagging behind a little bit, they have the power and all the tech, but they just can’t measure up to carrying the same payload, which may be exactly why you are thinking of leasing a large van. Technology is always improving, and EV technology is cutting edge at the moment, so we are sure that it will not be long before the large vans are matching with their small and medium rivals.
If you still have any questions, or you want more information on the comparisons of any vans that we stock here at MW Vehicle Contracts than we are here, waiting to help, just call us, or drop us a message.
