New Vauxhall Vivaro-e electric van: prices announced

The fully electric Vauxhall Vivaro-e panel van will start from £28,361 (excl VAT) for an entry-level short wheelbase, the company has announced. Prices rise to £39,811.66 for the flagship, long wheelbase variant, with the cost inclusive of the Government’s £8,000 plug-in van grant.

The new Vauxhall Vivaro-e will be available to order later this month, with first deliveries expected to arrive in October. It joins a growing marketplace of all-electric commercial vehicles, offering fresh competition for the likes of the Mercedes eVito, Nissan e-NV200 and the recently launched Volkswagen ABT e-Transporter.

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Buyers can have their pick of a short or long wheelbase, a panel van or double cab seating arrangement and either a 50kWh or 75kWh battery pack. There’s also a choice of two trim-levels – an entry-level Dynamic model or a more generously equipped Elite variant.

Standard equipment for the base-model includes front fog lamps, rear parking sensors, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, automatic windscreen wipers, cruise control and hill-hold assist. Inside, buyers get a 3.5-inch digital instrument display, a multifunction steering wheel, electric windows and a seven-inch infotainment system.

The range-topping Elite variant is only available with Vauxhall’s larger 75kWh battery pack – so it’s priced from £36,661.66 (excluding VAT). Upgrades over the base-model include 17-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint, LED daytime running lights, body coloured bumpers, lane departure warning, semi-adaptive cruise control and a panoramic rear-view camera.

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Speccing the long-wheelbase body style adds an extra £1,150 to the Vivaro-e’s base-price, while the larger battery pack bumps the panel van’s price up by £4,500. Vauxhall’s double cab seating layout is also only available on the flagship, long-wheelbase Elite variant.

New Vauxhall Vivaro-e: platform and powertrains

The Vivaro-e is based on the same EMP2 platform as its conventionally powered sibling, which gives it near-identical levels of practicality. A battery-electric version of the Vivaro-e was planned from the model’s conception, so its maximum load volume remains unchanged over the diesel model’s at 6.6 cubic metres. 

What’s more, the electric Vivaro’s maximum payload is only 130kg less than its combustion- engined counterpart’s at 1,226kg – and Vauxhall says that it’s currently the only electric vehicle in its segment which is capable of pulling a trailer.

It’s powered by the same electric motor as the Vauxhall Corsa-e and Peugeot e-208, which develops 134bhp and 260Nm of torque. The motor and its ancillaries occupy the same space as the diesel engine in the standard Vivaro, sending power to the front wheels via a single speed transmission. Top speed is electronically limited to 81mph.

The powertrain is available with a choice of two battery sizes, with buyers offered either a 50kWh or a 75kWh unit. Vauxhall says the former system provides a maximum WLTP range of 144 miles, while the latter offers up to 205 miles. Both units feature an on-board 7.4kW charger as standard, although an 11kW system is available as an optional extra.

When plugged into a commercially available 100kW DC fast-charger, Vauxhall’s 50kWh battery pack will recover an 80 percent charge in around 30 minutes. Using the same system, the 75kWh unit will take around 45 minutes to achieve an identical state of charge.

Using a standard single-phase domestic wallbox charger (and the van’s standard 7.4kW charging architecture), the smaller capacity battery pack can be fully recharged in around seven hours and 30 minutes. The larger battery takes a bit longer, with a claimed charge time of 11 hours and 20 minutes.

Vauxhall plans to further expand its electric portfolio over the coming years, as part of the brand’s pledge to deliver eight new electrified models by 2021. All-electric variants of the new Combo and Combo Life will be the next models to arrive, both of which will use a modified version of the Vivaro-e’s electric architecture. Vauxhall will also release an all-electric variant of the Vivaro Life before the end of next year.

What do you make of the new Vauxhall Vivaro-e? Let us know in the comments section below…