Why an electric van makes sense for your business
Choosing an electric commercial vehicle over a traditional petrol or diesel could help your company cut its running costs dramatically, without affecting the way you work...
Vans are the beating heart of British business, helping sole-traders and small local companies connect with the people in their community, or acting as workhorses for large firms by delivering services and goods to their customers’ front door.
The running expenses of commercial vehicles soon add up, though, meaning vans can be one of the biggest lines on any company’s budget. So, when businesses are looking to cut costs – especially in the current climate – the answer is to go electric.
With tax-saving benefits and government grants that reduce the purchase price of a vehicle and charging equipment, electric charging costs that are significantly cheaper than fuel prices, and exemption from congestion and emissions zone charges, opting for an electric van – such as the all-electric Nissan e-NV200 – could help your business save money without affecting your load space or the way you work. That’s especially true for vans working in urban environments, doing lots of last-mile deliveries or short journeys.
Plus, with powerful load-friendly instant electric torque, a practical range of between 124 miles (WLTP combined) and 187 miles (WLTP city)[1], 4.2m3 of cargo space, 60:40 split-rear doors, two sliding doors and a 705kg maximum payload, the electric Nissan e-NV200 is just as practical and useable as a petrol or diesel equivalent. There are also a number of van conversions available if your business needs are more specific; the XL Voltia, for example, has up to 8m3 of cargo space.
To find out more about the Nissan e-NV200 all-electric van, go to nissan.co.uk
Reducing up-front costs
To show the benefits of running an electric van, we’ve compared the Nissan e-NV200 to an equivalent compact city-friendly diesel van with a 1.5-litre engine and six-speed manual gearbox[2]. The first major saving when purchasing an all-electric van is the government plug-in vehicle grant – a scheme that covers up to 20% of the initial purchase price of an all-electric panel van like the e-NV200 (up to £8000)[3]. This creates a significant instant saving that closes the price gap between electric and diesel with the e-NV200 being just £560 more expensive[3].
Then there’s charging equipment. For vans charged at home overnight, the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) offers a grant that covers up to 75% of the price of a home charger up to a maximum of up to £350 (inc. VAT)[4]. That means a 7kW home charger from PodPoint – which is 3x faster than a domestic 3-pin plug – can cost just £529 to fit.
If you employ a small fleet and want to invest in several electric vans, the Office of Low Emission Vehicles grant (OLEV) will also put £350 (per socket) towards the installation of up to 40 charging sockets at a workplace or office.[4]
Slash your annual and daily running costs
Next, let’s look at the annual costs. First, road tax. Most commercial vehicles are subject to vehicle excise duty (VED). But, as the all-electric Nissan e-NV200 produces zero tailpipe emissions, it’s VED exempt – saving you £265 over our compact diesel van equivalent in the first year alone.[5]
Then there’s servicing and maintenance. As electric vans have electric motors in place of the internal combustion engine, that means fewer moving parts and fluids to service. In fact, the GoUltraLow website estimates that servicing, maintenance and repair costs for an electric van could be up to 20-30% cheaper[6]. And with simpler servicing and repairs, an electric van should spend less time off the road – helping your business to keep working hard.
When it comes to recharging an electric van, even if you were to charge during the day – on more expensive electric rates – you can top up the Nissan e-NV200’s 40kWh battery to 100% – delivering you up to 187 miles (WLTP city) of range for around £6.60, or just 3.5p per mile. Our 1.5-litre diesel equivalent would cost £17.11 – or 9.2p per mile – to cover the same distance[7]. Over the course of 12,800 miles (the average annual mileage of vans) you’re looking at a saving of over £717 per year in fuel costs[8][9].Charging overnight – when the van is not being used – is even cheaper, making the cost savings even greater.
Electric vans, like the Nissan e-NV200, are also exempt from congestion zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charges. Due to the CO2 emissions produced by a combustion engine, a compact diesel van would be subject to a £12.50 (per day) ULEZ charge, and a £15 (per day) congestion zone payment when entering London. Compared to a diesel van travelling into these zones five days a week, 52 weeks a year, the electric van would save a monumental £7150 a year (£27.50 a day, £137.50 a month).
Nissan e-NV200: Work harder and smarter
An electric van won’t only help cut your costs, it will also help you work more efficiently. With a load space of 4.2m3, a maximum payload of 705kg (and a maximum towing weight of 410kg) – all powered by a responsive 187lb ft of instant electric torque – you’ve got all the load-lugging ability of an equivalent diesel engine.
Thanks to its 40kWh battery and a range of up to 187 miles (WLTP city), the e-NV200 can tackle both the quick door-to-door jobs, and the further-afield long-range missions. Equally, when using a rapid charger you can get from 20%-80% charge in 40-60 minutes, letting you blend a top-up charge with a quick lunch stop before getting back to the job[10].
With a wealth of standard equipment (as well as plenty of useful options that let you customise your van, your way), the e-NV200 is also the perfect mobile office. Available with automatic wipers, cruise control, Bluetooth, sat-nav, heated seats and steering wheel, air conditioning, reversing camera and oodles of cabin storage, you can spec your Nissan to your liking. Finally, Nissan provides a range of warranties to give you full peace of mind that you’re covered. The lithium-ion battery is covered with a state of health guarantee which protects against battery capacity loss (less than nine bars out of 12) as shown on the in-vehicle capacity gauge for a period of eight years/100,000 miles (whichever comes first)[11].
To find out more about the Nissan e-NV200 all-electric van, go to nissan.co.uk
[1] WLTP figures shown are for comparability purposes. Actual real-world driving results may vary depending on factors such as the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted after registration, weather conditions, driving styles and vehicle load.
[2] All comparison calculations based on Nissan e-NV200 panel van and typical equivalent compact panel van with a 1.5-litre diesel engine, delivering a combined fuel economy of 58.9mpg, and CO2 emissions of 125g/km.
[3] Based on cost of Nissan e-NV200 Visia (with government grant of £6300) of £20,005 [excl. VAT]. Compact diesel alternative starts at £19,710 [excl. VAT]. Eligibility criteria applies, please visit https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants.
[4] For more information, please visit: https://www.goultralow.com/fleets-and-businesses/grants-incentives/
[5] Typical equivalent compact panel van with a 1.5-litre diesel engine VED = £265 for the first year.
[6] For more information, please visit: https://www.goultralow.com/fleets-and-businesses/electric-vans/
[7] Cost to charge Nissan e-NV200 40kWh for 187-mile range, based on average daytime electric rates of 16.5p per kWh (Drive Zero, August 2020). Charge cost = £6.60 (3.5p per mile). Cost for diesel for 187-mile distance, based on average diesel price of £1.18 (AA, August 2020) and the car delivering a fuel economy of 58.9mpg (combined) 58.9mpg = 3.18 gallons = 14.5 litres @ £1.18 = £17.11 (9.2p per mile).
[8] Cost to charge Nissan e-NV200 40kWh for the year at 12,800 miles/187-miles range = 68 trips x £6.60 = £448.80 cost to charge for the year. Cost to fuel diesel van for the year 12,800 miles/58.9mpg = 217.31 gallons = 987.9 litres. 987.9 x £1.18) = £1,165.72. (Difference: £1165.72 - £448.80 = £716.92).
[9] Average annual mileage of LCVs 12,800 miles (SMMT). For more information, visit: https://www.smmt.co.uk/reports/light-commercial-vehicles-delivering-for-the-uk-economy/
[10] Indicated rapid charging time may vary depending on factors including charging conditions, battery and ambient temperature at point of use and if the battery safeguarding technology is activated. Visit nissan.co.uk to find out more.
[11] For more information please visit: https://www.nissan.co.uk/ownership/nissan-car-warranties.html
