Toyota Proace Max Electric review

The Toyota Proace Max Electric has only been around for a year, but there’s something much older going on under the skin. While it wears a Toyota badge, it’s built by Stellantis at its Italian factory, where it comes off the same production line as the Citroën ë-Relay, Fiat E-Ducato, Peugeot e-Boxer and Vauxhall Movano Electric. The basic van has been around for almost 20 years, but Toyota must have done something to stand out from the others, surely?

Well, it’s got a prominent Toyota badge on the nose and a gaping grille below. And that’s pretty much where the visual differences end. It shares the body shell, motor, battery pack and dimensions with the Stellantis options, but Toyota has one secret weapon: its aftersales support and warranty.

Where warranty cover for the foursome runs out after three years, Toyota offers up to a decade of protection through its Relax programme. That could be a game-changer for owner-operators planning to keep their vans for the long haul.

But is it enough to make the Proace Max Electric competitive with big hitters like the Ford E-Transit, the Mercedes eSprinter, and our Large Electric Van of the Year, the Renault Master E-Tech? And has the influx of challenger brands, such as the Farison SV and Maxus eDeliver 9, surpassed what’s on offer at Toyota? Let’s find out…

The Proace Max Electric uses the same Stellantis battery pack and electric motor as its Citroën, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall siblings: a 275bhp motor with 302lb ft of torque, all driven by a 97.8kWh (usable capacity) battery. That makes it the most powerful electric van on the road, and it definitely feels quick for its size.

Acceleration is strong, with the 0–62mph sprint taking around 10 seconds when the van’s empty. That’s quicker than a lot of cars, so you’ll be able to surprise a few drivers away from the traffic lights. More usefully, it means there’s more than enough poke for working in town, and a handy amount of power to make motorway hills or heavy loads far less stressful.

When you’re looking to save energy, three driving modes and four levels of regenerative braking are there to help. Power mode unleashes everything – but you won’t get so far with that – while the default Normal mode restricts power a little to get you further. Eco mode is what makes the difference, though, with the motor cut down to just 163bhp and the power of things like the air-conditioning reduced to save energy. It’s no fun, but you’ll go for longer between charges.

Officially, the Proace Max Electric will go for 260 miles on a full charge, but there’s a caveat to that. Toyota currently only sells the 4.25-tonne version, which means it’s limited to 56mph — quite handy when trying to save energy. 

Power and efficiency are a winning combination, but it’s all let down by a chassis and suspension that is a generation behind pretty much anything else on the road. 

It dates back nearly two decades, and it shows. The steering is vague, the suspension unsettled over bumps, and body roll is pronounced. At speed, things calm down a little, but the E-Transit and Master E-Tech are sharper and more comfortable.

“I found the Toyota Proace Max Electric to be powerful and capable, but you won’t enjoy the drive as much as in newer rivals.” – Phil Huff, Van reviewer

Toyota has inherited the Stellantis cab almost unchanged, which means that space is good, with room for three adults across the wide bench, and storage is plentiful: overhead shelves, dash-top trays, cubbies and a large glovebox.

Where it differs is in equipment levels — the Toyota is more generous than the Citroën, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall. Most obvious is the 10in infotainment screen, which is a slick, glossy panel that contrasts with the smaller 7in screen on its closely related rivals. There’s also Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and TomTom navigation. You also get a reversing camera, which is particularly useful on a van that can measure 636cm long.

Despite the space and upgraded equipment, the ergonomics are dated. The steering adjusts only for rake, the cupholders are oddly placed at close to floor level in the centre, and there are no grab handles for climbing in. It lacks the clarity of design you’ll find in a Master E-Tech, or even E-Transit — itself a van that’s now getting on a bit.

Assuming you can make the limited adjustments to get comfortable, there’s a commanding driving position, with good visibility front and rear, thanks to excellent door mirrors. But they’re small positives in an otherwise underwhelming cab.

“The Proace Max Electric interior is functional, but feels like yesterday’s cab with yesterday’s software bolted on.” – Phil Huff, Van reviewer

Cargo space is a strength in the back of the Proace Max Electric. With the battery mounted under the floor, load volumes are identical to the diesel versions, although there’s not a huge range of bodies to choose from. Currently, there are three models: a long model, a long model with a high roof, and an extra-long model with a high roof. That translates to a load volume of between 13 and 17m2. That’s more than an E-Transit and in line with the eSprinter and Master E-Tech.

The load box is also just over four metres long at its extreme, and more than 2.1 metres tall. This thing is enormous.

Payload, though, is disappointing. The headline figure of up to 1460kg looks good, but that’s still a couple of hundred kilos less than some rivals, including the What Car? Large Electric Van of the Year, the Master E-Tech and the E-Transit.

It also introduces complications for operators, with the 56mph speed limiter affecting driving times, tachograph requirements, and annual HGV-style MOTs from year one, amongst other administrative burdens. The government promises to resolve some of these issues, as it has with driver licensing, but the rules remain in place right now.

Towing is rated at 2400kg, which is just 100kg lower than the diesel-powered Proace Max. It’s also 100kg lower than the Master E-Tech, although well above the 2000kg that the E-Transit can manage. The eDeliver 9 is left a long way behind, with a limit of only 1500kg.

Twin rear doors open to 180°, and a nearside sliding door is standard; an offside sliding door is optional. The load bay includes LED lighting, a steel bulkhead and multiple lashing points.

“There's plenty of room and half decent payload, but is it worth the regulatory headache when the regular 3.5-tonne Master E-Tech is only a little way behind?” – Phil Huff, Van reviewer

Charging is one of the Proace Max’s strong suits. It supports 150kW DC rapid charging, faster than the E-Transit, eDeliver 9 and Master E-Tech, taking the battery from 5–80% in around 55 minutes. On a 22kW three-phase AC charger, which your company will hopefully have installed, a full charge takes around six hours. Plugged into a 7.4kW home wallbox, you’ll need more than 16 hours.

Pricing is similar to Stellantis siblings: a little over £50,000 plus VAT for the 4.25-tonne L3H2, with the government’s Plug-in Van Grant reducing the total cost by £5,000. That’s still a good chunk more than the Master E-Tech, our favourite large electric van.

The star turn, though, is the Toyota Relax warranty. Unlike the rest of the Stellantis-built range, which gets a three-year or 100,000-mile warranty, Toyota extends this to as much as ten years. The conditions aren’t too troublesome, either. Get the van serviced at a Toyota dealer, and the warranty extends by 12 months, although the 100,000-mile limit remains.

Large vans tend to cover large distances, which might see you bumping up against that limit, but for many owner-operators or small businesses, a few years of extra cover could be invaluable. Ford and Mercedes only provide three years of cover, although there’s no mileage limit on the eSprinter, while the Maxus is protected for five years with the same 100,000-mile limit.

“Toyota’s decade of warranty support is unmatched by any other manufacturer — peace of mind owners will value.” – Phil Huff, Van reviewer

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