As the UK’s net zero plans storm ahead, many businesses are looking to switch to all-electric vehicles. New vehicle sales have been slow since the start of the pandemic. A shortage of semiconductor chips mixed with global economic uncertainty, has led to a decline in motorists buying new vehicles. However, many are looking to buy an electric van for their business.
While sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles continue to decline, the registrations of new pure electric vehicles is soaring. This is especially surprising given the increased price of electric vehicles, compared to conventional vehicles.
The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that over 40,000 battery electric vehicles have been sold in 2022 so far. This is an 88.3% increase on the previous year. Meanwhile, sales of petrol and diesel vehicles have fallen by 17.1% and 51.4% respectively.
More interestingly, figures show that second hand electric vehicles are doing surprisingly well. In fact, used pure electric vehicles are the only fuel group that saw an increase in physical vehicle sales and their market share. Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid second hand vehicle sales are all declining.
Things to consider before you buy an electric van
Despite this rise in sales, data from the SMMT also shows that over half of UK van owners are worried about switching to all-electric driving. This is mainly over fears they won’t be able to find a charge point on the road when they need to.
There are currently more than four million vans on the road so ensuring van drivers switch to zero emission motoring is essential in the UK’s road to net zero. These worries surrounding charging infrastructure really need to be addressed.
As a result the electric vehicle industry is calling for a UK-wide electric van plan to accelerate uptake. More than a third of all new van models on sale come with a plug following huge investments from manufacturers. This has massively improved payloads, battery range and choice of electric vans.
From the end of 2035, the only new electric van models will be electric meaning the switch to electric driving is definitely coming quickly. Plus, there are some great incentives to those wanting to be ahead of the game. At the moment, anyone buying an electric van will benefit from the Government’s plug-in van grant worth up to £5,000.
Meanwhile, you can also claim up to £350 towards installing a charge point at your workplace. A business can receive up to five grants in total, so that’s a big saving on charging infrastructure.
Try before you buy
If you’re not quite ready to make that permanent jump to an electric van, why not consider hiring one before? Hiring any electric vehicle is a great way to test out electric motoring without any huge commitments.
Our sister company, EVision Electric Vehicles, has a huge range of electric cars and vans available for short and long term hire now. At EVision, you won’t be tied into any long term leasing contracts, meaning you can opt out at any time.
At the moment, EVision has the three best-selling electric vans on the market; the Vauxhall Vivaro-e, Vauxhall Combo-e and Renault Kangoo. If you do choose to hire an electric van from EVision, all your maintenance and servicing costs will be covered, including tyre wear!
Electric vans for sale
But, you are ready to take the plunge and buy an electric van now, we have some great ones on offer. At the moment, we only have brand new electric vans for sale so you can guarantee brilliant vehicles.
The first electric van we have available is the Vivaro-e, which comes with a driving range of 200 miles and payload of 1,002kg. The Vauxhall Vivaro-e electric van is perfect for businesses who need a slightly bigger vehicle. Plus, it comes with charging capabilities of up to 150kW, which can fully charge the vehicle in just 20 minutes.
You can check out our range of Vauxhall Vivaro-e vans here or arrange a viewing with our team via mail@evisionsales.co.uk.
Next up is the fantastic Renault Kangoo electric van which is slightly smaller. But, with a range of 120 miles and payload of 639kg, the Kangoo still provides more than enough for small businesses.
One of the best features in the Renault Kangoo is actually the seating arrangements. There are two seats as standard in the front. Whereas in the back, all Kangoo vans are fitted with three collapsible seats. These can be pushed down to create more space for cargo, or left up for passengers.
We only have one Renault Kangoo model left so if you are interested, please give us a call on 01634 914 063. What are you waiting for? Switch to zero-emission driving and buy an electric van today.
* All information correct as of 08/06/2022.
