In this guide, we take a look at how an electric van could work for you and your business, or if you should select a new efficient petrol or diesel van whilst the electric vehicle technology continues to advance.
Pros And Cons Of Electric Van Leasing
Here is a quick rundown of the pros and cons of an electric van, we also have a full guide on this (hyperlink when live) covering the topic in more depth.
Pros Of Leasing An Electric Van
-
Lower running costs
Considering they're at the forefront of technology, electric vehicles have fewer moving parts to make them 'move' which in simple terms means smaller bills when it comes to servicing and repairs. The electric drivetrain is relatively simple compared to combustion-engined vans.
No charges for entering clean air zones, and the ability to drive into inner-city areas too.
-
Business Image - Environmentally Friendly
A sign written van is you and your companies rolling advert driving an electric van show's you care about the environment and the planet, but it's not all about image. With no tailpipe emission if your job takes you into inner-city areas or schools you can drive knowing you're not adding to the harmful pollutants in the atmosphere
-
Easy and Fun to Drive
Whilst the likes of Ford and VW made inroads to making their vans more appealing and sportier, once diesel engines get a few miles on them, they do sound a bit tractor like (its the nature of the beast), and power is higher up in the limited rev range on the sportier models.
Whereas electric models have instant torque(power) from the electric motors, making them nippy and able to zip in and out of traffic. A general rule of thumb is electric vehicles are automatics, making them such a breeze and easy to drive around town.
Cons Of Leasing An Electric Van
-
Range anxiety and ability to charge.
Filling up your current work van with petrol or diesel is a pretty simple task, and it generally returns the same amount of miles to that tank of fuel. The electric range does fluctuate with the weather, getting fewer miles and taking longer to charge when the weather is colder. With only 26,000 public charging points, and the number of electric vehicles on the road for those without off-street parking it can sometimes be difficult to charge.
-
Reduced payload
Compared to their petrol or diesel versions some electric vans have a reduced payload, as the batteries weigh a fair amount, adding extra weight on top of the base weight of the van, may push it outside some drivers licencing allocations. Adding weight in the van then will ultimately reduce the range available the more weight you add.
-
Cost
It's a new technology, be it the new iPhone or games console when it is new it costs more. The same with electric vans, compared to its petrol or diesel stablemates the electric model will cost more. With leasing this is somewhat hidden as you're paying for the depreciation of the vehicle in your monthly fees, depending on spec they may be more than a combustion-engined van.
Key Consideration When Leasing An Electric Van
We’ve covered the pros and cons of leasing an electric van, but what other factors do you need to consider before deciding.
-
Can you afford an electric van?
Whilst the overall costs are coming down, electric vehicles are comparatively more expensive than petrol and diesel counterparts. Can you and your business afford the extra monthly costs at this moment in time?
-
Charging Infrastructure.
The charging network is seeing investment with the aim to be ready for 2030, but it is not there yet. The public charging network in urban and city-centric slowly filtering out to rural areas. Where is your local public charging point? Can you install a wall box at your home and/or work premises? Will it be easier, in the long run, to skip this generation of electric and choose a less polluting petrol or diesel van?
-
How much travelling do you do?
Diesel vans can do a considerable amount of miles on a tank of fuel, far more than electric versions. The question is, how many miles do you do a day? Is that figure within the range quoted for the van you’re considering? Remember, electric vehicles are affected by seasonal weather changes. In colder temperatures, charge times are longer and range shorter. With the ‘Euro 6’ emissions standards on diesel vans, they are the cleanest they’ve ever been and allowed into some clean air zones.
-
How much weight do you carry?
We’ve mentioned above the weight of the batteries reduces the available payload in the van. If you need to carry a lot of weight over a considerable distance, electric vans range reduces with weight on board and you may not be able to carry as much.
Electric Van Leasing With Us
We have industry-leading deals with many manufacturers that cannot be beaten. In fact, we're so confident – we even offer a price match promise!
As accredited van leasing brokers in the UK, we work with leading car manufacturers and several finance companies, including ALD Automotive, ARVAL UK, Alphabet, Hitachi, Lex Autolease, LeasePlan and Santander amongst others, to get you the best deal on your lease. We are also a proud member of the British Vehicle Leasing and Rental Association (BVRLA).
If you have any questions about van leasing, whether that be about the benefits of leasing over buying or leasing with insurance, we've compiled a comprehensive range of guides to answer anything and everything surrounding van leasing.
If there are any questions left unanswered, please don't hesitate to get in touch with one of our team of friendly, experienced and professional van leasing experts and they'll be happy to help.
FAQs
- Are Electric Vans Cheaper To Run?
Electric is cheaper to fill up a battery than comparable petrol or diesel vans at the moment, and there is no congestion or clean air zone charges applicable to electric vehicles so we would say Yes.
- How Much Does It Cost To Run An Electric Van?
As an example the Toyota Proace 100kw with a 50kWh battery would cost £7.00 to charge the battery, working on the average of 14p per kWh. With a range of 143 miles, it works out to be just under 5p a mile.
- How Many Miles Will An Electric Van Do?
The overall average for all the vans we offer is around 250miles on a charge. It doesn't a lot but generally peoples commutes are around 14 miles in a car and 30 miles for tradespeople going to a single site for a day's work
