The commercial cars are also going electric and the market starts to be crowded. The latest addition to the range is the new Vauxhall Vivaro-e its first factory-built, fully-electric van, set to arrive in the market as more and more UK cities welcome emissions-free vehicles.
Built on the same line as the diesel-engined Vivaro, and available to order from June in two lengths and two body variants, the new battery electric Vivaro-e enables business users to benefit from uncompromised zero-emission, door-to-door mobility. Far from being a compromised ‘final-mile’ solution for delivery drivers, Vauxhall’s Vivaro-e has a range of 188 miles on the WLTP cycle, meaning that multi-drop deliveries around large town and cities on a single charge will become a reality for British business users.
While the Vivaro-e is as versatile and flexible as any other Vivaro, its payload of up to 1,226kgs is also comparable to that of similar LCVs with internal combustion engines. In fact, the load it can carry is only 130kgs less than a Vivaro fitted with a diesel engine. The Vivaro-e is also the only electrified vehicle in its segment that has the ability to pull trailers (with a maximum towing capacity of 1.0 tonne).
Vivaro-e customers can choose between two sizes of lithium-ion battery, depending on their needs. A 75kWh unit provides up to 188 miles of range, while business users with smaller areas to cover in the working day can opt for a 50kWh battery with a range of up to 125 miles (both WLTP test cycle).
The batteries comprise 18 and 27 modules respectively, and the system is cooled via the cabin’s coolant circuit for optimized range and an increased lifetime. Since a battery electric version was planned from the beginning of Vivaro’s development, the batteries are packaged under the loading space in such a way that they do not compromise its usage. A sophisticated regenerative braking system, which recovers the energy produced under braking or deceleration, further increases efficiency.
With 100kW (136PS) and 260Nm of torque from the electric propulsion system, the Vivaro‑e offers better performance than most electric commercial vehicles. The electronically controlled maximum speed of 81mph means adhering to speed limits on UK motorways can be achieved with ease, while preserving the electric range. The battery located under the load compartment also lowers the centre of gravity, which benefits the cornering and stability of the Vivaro-e, even when it is fully laden.
Vauxhall has tailored the Vivaro-e to cater for a variety of customer needs, with a panel van and double-cab being available for commercial applications, and a passenger vehicle to follow. The panel van has payloads of up to 1,226kg, with gross vehicle weights ranging up to 3,100kg.
As most variants are about 1.90m tall, the Vivaro-e can access parking in basements or shopping centres with low roofs.
Thanks to the practical FlexCargo load-through on the front passenger side, the cargo length can be extended by 1.2m. With this, L1H1 (4.96m long) and L2H1 (5.30m long) can securely store ladders, conduit or piping of up to 3.67 or 4.02m in length, while the multitude of storage areas in the cockpit (which features an electric parking brake) comfortably accommodate numerous smaller items. Flexcargo also increases maximum cargo capacities to 5.8 and 6.6m3 respectively.
