Peugeot e-Boxer review

The Peugeot e-Boxer is one of the French members of Stellantis’s big electric van family. Under the skin, it’s mechanically identical to the Citroën ë-Relay, Fiat E-Ducato, Vauxhall Movano Electric, and even the Toyota Proace Max, sharing everything from the body shell and electric motor to the battery pack and dimensions. What separates them comes down to badges, minor styling tweaks, small shifts in equipment and, for the Toyota, expanded warranty support.

Peugeot has kept things simple with the e-Boxer. From the front, the bold Lion badge sits proudly in the centre of a reshaped grille pattern, with subtle detailing giving it a more businesslike character than its siblings. Beyond that, though, the silhouette is unchanged, and that dates back nearly twenty years.

Stellantis has invested in a significant upgrade for its large electric vans to keep them competitive, with a bigger 97.8kWh (usable capacity) battery, a more powerful 275bhp motor, and refreshed in-cab technology. The updates bring performance and range up to date, but they can’t disguise the age of the underlying chassis and cab design.

Against newer competition, including the Ford E-Transit, Mercedes eSprinter and our large electric van of the year, the Renault Master E-Tech, as well as Chinese-built alternatives like the Farizon SV and Maxus eDeliver 9, are the e-Boxer’s limitations obvious?

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Every e-Boxer is powered by a single, front-mounted electric motor producing 275bhp and 302lb ft of torque, making it the most powerful large electric van on the road. Whether pulling away from lights in town or tackling a motorway incline with a full load, that means the Peugeot has reserves that rivals can’t match.

As such, acceleration is brisk for a vehicle of its size. The e-Boxer takes around 10 seconds to hit 62mph when unladen, and it feels effortlessly quick at urban speeds. It maintains that up to motorway speeds, although the rate of acceleration slows as you get faster.

You’ll get more performance by playing with drive modes. Eco limits power to 165bhp and reduces the effectiveness of things like the air-con, but the gain in electric range might be enough to put up with that. The default Normal mode allows 217bhp, but Power unleashes the full 275bhp. Even in Eco, where you still get more power than a Master E-Tech can muster, there’s enough shove for everyday use.

Regenerative braking can be fine-tuned using steering wheel paddles, with four levels available. The strongest setting won’t quite enable full one-pedal driving, but it’s effective enough to minimise brake use in stop–start traffic or on long descents.

That regen braking also helps extract as much range from the 97.8kWh (usable capacity) battery as possible, with the official WLTP figures suggesting 235 miles for the 3.5-tonne model is possible. The figure rises to 263 miles for the 4.25-tonne N2 version, although that’s limited to an energy-saving 56mph. 

Real-world figures are lower, but we saw between 180 and 200 miles in mixed use, and up to 250 miles in absolutely ideal conditions — barely any load, warm (but not hot) weather, flat roads. That puts the e-Boxer on par with the Renault Master E-Tech, and ahead of the Ford E-Transit.

Unfortunately, while the drivetrain is modern, the rest of the driving experience isn’t. The steering is vague and heavy at low speeds, body roll is noticeable, and the suspension struggles with rough surfaces, particularly when the van is unladen. It’s a complete contrast to how smooth the power delivery is, and in some cases, downright uncomfortable. It settles down a little at motorway pace, but there’s no denying that the underlying chassis is 19 years old. 

“The e-Boxer has the muscle of a modern EV, but definitely not the manners. You’ll enjoy driving the E-Transit and Master E-Tech far more.” – Phil Huff, Van reviewer

Peugeot has given the e-Boxer’s cab a modest refresh, but it can’t hide its age. Space is generous – three adults can fit across the wide cab without feeling cramped – and storage is plentiful, with overhead shelves, dash-top trays and a sizable glovebox. However, practicality can’t mask the ageing design.

A digital driver’s display is standard, showing range, charge status and power flow clearly. A 7in touchscreen brings Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB radio and Bluetooth, with physical shortcut buttons and knobs for ease of use. Don’t be swayed by the brochure shots, though, as these only show the optional 10in screen, which is nicer and includes TomTom nav and extra USB sockets, but costs an extra £800. 

Rear parking sensors, air conditioning, cruise control and automatic lights/wipers are all standard on the single ‘Professional’ trim offered in the UK, but missing is a reversing camera — something of an oversight on a panel van almost 6.5 metres long.

Fleet buyers may welcome the cost savings of a back-to-basics van, but owner-drivers will find themselves spending extra on options to make their workplace more liveable.

Ergonomics are hit and miss. The steering wheel adjusts only for rake, not reach, and the cupholders are placed bizarrely low in the centre console, right where a middle passenger’s feet should be. There are no grab handles for clambering aboard, either, so you’ll get a good workout climbing in and out.

Still, there are positives. The driving position is commanding, visibility is good, and Peugeot’s switchgear feels pretty robust. It’s got nothing on the modern interiors of an E-Transit, eDeliver 9, eSprinter or Master E-Tech, though.

“The cab of the e-Boxer feels a generation behind the competition, and the tech doesn’t feel much fresher, either.” – Phil Huff, Van reviewer

The e-Boxer’s load area is a strong suit. The battery sits under the floor, so cargo space is unchanged from the diesel-powered Boxer. That means that, assuming you stay at 3.5- tonne gross weight, you’ll get 12.0m3 of cargo volume from the single L3H2 option. That’s comparable to the Farizon, eSprinter and Master E-Tech, and more than you’ll get in the E-Transit or eDeliver 9.

However, payload limits are the weak link. At 3.5 tonnes, the e-Boxer can carry just 710kg — less than most compact electric vans, including the Peugeot e-Partner. By comparison, the E-Transit and Master E-Tech offer more than a tonne.

Moving up to the 4.25-tonne model boosts payload to around 1,460kg (which is still behind its better rivals) and adds options for a longer wheelbase and taller roof. At the largest size, the L4H3, the load area stretches on for 4070mm, with a maximum height of 2172mm. Upright slab sides add to the space, with up to 17.0m3 of cargo able to squeeze in the back.

Unfortunately, jumping to the 4.25-tonne version also brings complications like a 56mph limiter, potential tachograph rules, HGV-style MOTs from year one, and other operator issues.

Access to the back is straightforward, with 180-degree rear doors and a large sliding nearside door as standard — an offside sliding door is optional. The load bay includes LED lighting, a full steel bulkhead and multiple tie-down points.

“Whether you choose the 3.5-tonne or 4.25-tonne version, the e-Partner certainly offers plenty of space. However, the weight you can put in it is far from class-leading.” – Phil Huff, Van reviewer

The ability to rapid charge is one of the e-Boxer’s strengths because it can accept electricity at a rate of 150kW. Surprisingly, that’s faster than its more modern rivals, including the E-Transit (115kW), eDeliver 9 (90kW) and Master E-Tech (130kW). That means an 80% charge takes around 55 minutes in ideal conditions. On a 22kW three-phase AC charger — the kind you’ll hopefully find at a company depot — a full charge takes about six hours, which makes overnight charging easy enough. At home on a 7.4kW wallbox? You’re looking at over 16 hours.

Pricing starts at just over £50,000 plus VAT for the L3H2 3.5-tonne model. That’s in line with the Citroën, Fiat and Vauxhall equivalents, but quite a lot more than our favourite large electric van, the Master E-Tech.

Upgrading to the 4.25-tonne version adds less than £1000, which is good value if you can navigate the legal complications that all vans of that size face. The government’s £5000 Plug-in Van Grant remains available, too, trimming the upfront cost.

Warranty cover is three years/100,000 miles – in line with its Stellantis siblings but behind the five years from Maxus and unlimited mileage from Mercedes. Toyota’s rebadged version of the same van, the Proace Max, goes further, though, offering up to 10 years’ cover (though still capped at 100,000 miles) with only a few hoops to jump through. Owner-operators might be more excited about that ongoing support package than a fleet with rapid vehicle turnover.

“You’ll spend less on a Peugeot lease deal than an identical Fiat model, even though the vans are identical.” – Phil Huff, Van reviewer

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