Are Electric Vans still popular with the UK Government

The UK Government - What's the popularity of Electric Vans?

There is still some nervousness about moving your van fleet into a battery option. Unlike cars, where our e-car lease team have been so busy helping various businesses and companies make the transition, the traditional van operators have been more reticent in making the jump across.

Some of this can be explained due to the costs, in that many early products were somewhat more expensive than diesel alternatives. The fear of batteries, due to range or charging, has also been added to the mix. We do understand this, as many working trade professionals rely on their vans day in and day out to earn a living.

Unlike cars being used for commuting or pleasure purposes, the van operator is trying to make a logical choice based on practicalities and costs. Whether you are a one-person outfit or a large company, there are a number of key considerations to make before going green with your LCVs.

Yesterday (26 February 2025) the UK Government did draw a clear line in the sand with regards to their financial support for new vans. As per the UK Government update they are still:

•  firmly supporting drivers, businesses, fleets and taxis move into the world of BEV;
• remove red tape from blocking the transition to pure electric vans; and
•  create more jobs in the sector.

In summary, the Government are extending their grants which they apply to commercial vehicles. In the world of cars, the plug-in grants were removed some time ago, especially with the popularity of the cars for fleets due to the company car tax position.

However, for LCVs the £2,500 for small vans and £5,000 for bigger vans remained in place until 2025. There was concern that the finite provisions of the Government would run out and many manufacturers have been concerned about the future provision of all-electric vehicles in the UK, particularly with the increasing obligations under the ZEV Mandate which restricts the amount of more polluting vehicles from being sold in the UK. The impetus is very much on vehicles being zero-emission, with each year being more and more punitive.

The news from the Government does mean that the grant rules are continuing. The rules are that small vans will continue to enjoy the £2,500 grant so long as the van is less than 2,500kg in weight, have emissions of less than 50g/km and travel at least 60 miles without emissions.

Vans like the Citroen e-Berlingo, Nissan Townstar and Renault Kangoo E-Tech will qualify. For large vans, the £5,000 grant will stay in place so long as the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight of 2,500kg to 4,250kg, have emissions of less than 50g/km and travel at least 60 miles without emissions. Vans like the Citroen e-Relay, Ford e-Transit, Renault Master E-Tech and VW ID Buzz Cargo will qualify.

In addition, the Government are looking to simplify the access to zero emission vans which would exceed legal weight limits. The additional training in place will be removed in order to help businesses access the vehicles and reduce red tape. The world of taxi and private hire will also receive more focus and funding from the political powers.

A grant of £4,000 will be made available for them to access vehicles like a black cab to encourage more Net-Zero behaviour in congested towns and cities. Wheelchair accessible vehicles will now receive a £50,000 grant, so that wheelchair users can enjoy the benefits of pure electric driving too. Larger electric vans can now tow a trailer and reach 5 tonnes without needing more driver training.

Within the article, is the recognition that £200m will still be provided to ensure that charge points can be rolled out in the UK for public charging. Plus more consultations will be taking place with manufacturers to ensure that their corresponding obligations and challenges are being met.

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz one of most popular electric van lease deals

One of our best selling vans here at e-car lease and VanLease  is the robust ID Buzz cargo from Volkswagen. While the Buzz people carrier has proved to be a popular car in the fleet and business world, commercial operators have also been sampling the commercial vehicle equivalent. As at Feb 2024 you can choose between the:

• ID Buzz Cargo Commerce - from £46,141 this includes speed limiter, cruise control, anti-theft alarm, App-Connect with Apple CarPlay, power adjustable and heated door mirrors, sliding left and right door, autonomous emergency braking, LED headlights, lane keeping system, multifunction camera, LED interior lights, climate control, heated front seats, navigation, 12.9” colour screen and headlight rage control;

•  ID Buzz Cargo Commerce Plus - from £51,241 this adds heated windscreen, Discover Pro navigation, rear view camera, intelligent park assist, 19” alloys, adaptive cruise control and rain sensing wipers;
•  ID Buzz Cargo Commerce 4 Motion - from £48,541 this adds the AWD functionality on your van; and
•  ID Buzz Cargo Commerce Plus - £52,441 this adds the AWD functionality on your van.

In terms of colours, choose from black pearl paint, candy white solid paint, cherry red solid paint, mono silver metallic and lime yellow metallic paint. In terms of additional options, consider the power-sliding doors on the left and right, retractable towbar with electric release, the armrest for front seats, heat pump or the heated washer nozzles. Configure your perfect van on the VW website - and send the specification to our electric vehicle experts to price on a lease.

But how does the electric VW Buzz Cargo perform?

As per the below:

•  SWB 2WD – this RWD van has a usable battery of 79kWh which offers 210kW (282hp), top speeds of 99mph and 0-62 times of 7.6 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 190 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 250 miles (on a full charge) – 225 miles combined . The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 8 hours and 30mins with the 185 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 26 minutes. The EV has no Bidirectional capability. It has a 115 mpg equivalent, 1121L cargo volume and towing of 750kg (unbraked) and 1200kg (braked)  The Heat Pump is an additional option.

For more information on our business, and personal, deals just get in touch with our team on 01942 910 001 or by emailing us at [email protected]