Item: Toyota Proace Electric
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

Citroen Berlingo Electric

Citroën e-Dispatch

Ford Transit Custom PHEV

Maxus e Deliver 3

Mercedes eSprinter

Nissan e-NV200

Peugeot Partner Electric

Peugeot e-Expert

Renault Kangoo ZE 33

Renault Master ZE

Toyota Proace Electric

Vauxhall Vivaro-e

Volkswagen e-Crafter

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

Choosing an electric van, whether you pay up front or lease, will cost significantly more than an equivalent diesel model. On the other hand, you'll enjoy significantly cheaper running costs provided you can charge the van cheaply and use it in a charge-based emission zone.

Talking of charging, the Toyota Proace Electric battery can be topped up from 0% to 80% in about 30 minutes for the 50kWh version and 45 minutes for the 75kWh if you have access to a 100kW DC rapid charger.

Residual values for the Toyota Proace Electric are impressive by the standards of the class and in line with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/dispatch/van/review/n22958/in-the-cabin">Citroen e-Dispatch</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/expert/van/review/n22957">Peugeot e-Expert</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/vivaro-e/van/review/n22197">Vauxhall Vivaro-e</a>. Indeed, all four vans hold on to their value better than premium rivals such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/abt-etransporter-61/van/review/n22641">VW&nbsp;ABT eTransporter</a> and Mercedes eVito – we suspect their relatively good electric ranges make them more appealing long-term prospects.&nbsp;

We also suspect that Toyota knows its audience for the Proace Electric will be looking for a mid-level fleet-spec van. It therefore makes sense that of the three trim levels offered on the diesel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/proace/van/review/n20243">Toyota Proace</a> (Active, Icon and Design),&nbsp;the electric version gets the mid-spec Icon trim. That comes with automatic windscreen wipers and headlights, an electronic parking brake, cruise control, air conditioning and&nbsp;rear parking sensors.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As we mentioned earlier, the closely related e-Dispatch, e-Expert and Vivaro-e&nbsp;give you choice of sizes and trims, so why choose the Japanese van? Well, the Toyota has an ace up its sleeve – its warranty.

The Proace Electric gets a five-year warranty rather than the three years offered by the other brands (all four have a 100,000-mile limit). Those additional two years of peace of mind could count for a lot – and Toyota came an&nbsp;impressive third in the 2020 What Car? <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n20069">Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;too.

Demand for electric vans is still relatively low&nbsp;and, while they are growing in popularity, manufacturers have yet to start producing several power ratings for their vehicles as they would with a combustion engine model.

Toyota is not alone in having just the one 100kW (134bhp) offering for the Proace Electric – the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/dispatch/van/review/n22958">Citroen e-Dispatch</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/expert/van/review/n22957">Peugeot e-Expert</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/vivaro-e/van/review/n22197">Vauxhall Vivaro-e</a>&nbsp;all have a single drivetrain option too.

On the face of it, that might not seem very powerful, but because the electric motor delivers its power and torque instantaneously&nbsp;without the need for any gear changes, the Proace Electric feels more eager and capable than diesel equivalents.&nbsp;

There’s a brief lull between pressing the pedal and the van beginning to move, but the 192lb ft of torque produced by the motor quickly surges you forward and doesn’t really stop until you reach motorway speeds.

In fact&nbsp;it feels as fast as the most powerful <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/proace/van/review/n20243">Toyota Proace</a> diesel (174bhp), while also benefiting from more stable handling thanks to the low-slung batteries. While we wish its steering was a little sharper (a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/transit/van/review/n18188">Ford Transit</a> feels far sportier in comparison), the Proace Electric’s impressive body control at least gives you the confidence to drive swiftly down a country road.

As you make progress, there’s a small amount of noise from the road and the whirr of the motor, but it delivers an air of sophistication you won’t find in&nbsp; conventionally powered commercial vehicles.

As we mentioned in the Introduction section, Toyota claims a WLTP-certified range of 142 miles for the smaller 50kWh battery and 205 miles for the larger 75kWh battery. We reckon those figures are a bit ambitious, though.

We would estimate that, with careful driving, it would manage around 110 miles with the 50kWh battery and 175 with the larger 75kWh unit. If you’re looking for a van to use on long journeys regularly, a diesel Proace will probably suit you better.

The van defaults to Normal driving mode when you start it up. That gives you a small level of regenerative braking (which recovers energy to top up the battery), comparable to a light amount of engine braking.

There's a B mode button on the dashboard which lets you increase the effect significantly. If you press it, you’ll find that when you lift off the accelerator there’s a very obvious slowing down, to the point that the force is enough to activate the brake lights.&nbsp;

It’s effective, but a third, even more powerful mode would be welcome, while having the selection controls on the steering wheel rather than a button on the dashboard would make toggling to the optimum setting easier. We prefer the way the Mercedes eVito integrates its settings.&nbsp;

We found that Normal (which gives you access to 80% power and torque) was the ideal city driving mode. If you’re carrying a heavy load, though, we’d recommend switching to Power mode so you feel as though&nbsp;you have some grunt at your disposal. Eco mode cuts the available power to 60% of the total and torque down to 70%, and acceleration is greatly decreased.&nbsp;

Power mode is best for towing, which is something of a party piece for the Proace Electric and its siblings –&nbsp;they can tow up to one tonne, more than their competitors.

Toyota isn’t typically associated with vans or electric vehicles&nbsp;so the Toyota Proace Electric – its first all-electric vehicle to go on sale in the UK – is something of a departure for the Japanese brand.

Its&nbsp;arrival shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, though. Like the diesel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/proace/van/review/n20243">Toyota Proace</a>, the electric version is based on the same platform as the Citroen e-Dispatch, Peugeot e-Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro-e.

All four vans are produced by the mighty Stellantis Group (once known as PSA),&nbsp;and are available in two battery sizes: 50kWh and 75kWh. They give the Proace Electric – which is powered by a 100kW (134bhp) electric motor producing 192lb ft of torque – an official range of 142 and 205 miles respectively, according to WLTP tests.

Unlike its relatives, the Proace Electric is not available in a range of body styles&nbsp;and sizes. Instead, Toyota has chosen to offer just one mid-length vehicle to meet the needs of its key market – namely small&nbsp;and medium-sized fleets, which account for more than 95% of its van sales.

Rival&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-electric-vans-2021/n21136">electric vans</a> include the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/maxus/e-deliver-3/van/review/n22665">Maxus E Deliver 3</a>, the&nbsp;Mercedes eVito, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/e-nv200/van/review/n20139">Nissan e-NV200</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/abt-etransporter-61/van/review/n22641">VW ABT e-Transporter</a>.&nbsp;There are also several hybrid models to&nbsp;consider, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/transit-connect/van/review/n20263">Ford Transit Custom PHEV</a> and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/levc/vn5/van/review/n21988">LEVC VN5</a>&nbsp;(a van based on the TX electric taxi).

This Toyota Proace Electric review will tell you all you need to know about running one, including what it's like to drive, whether it's good value, how big&nbsp;the load space is and how it compares with its rivals. We have full separate reviews of the closely related&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/dispatch/van/review/n22958">Citroen e-Dispatch</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/expert/van/review/n22957">Peugeot e-Expert</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/vivaro-e/van/review/n22197">Vauxhall Vivaro-e</a>.

Don't forget, whichever van you decide suits your needs, we can help you find the best leasing deals for personal or business use through the free <a href="https://whatcar.com/car-leasing/">What Car? Leasing</a> section, which has a wide range of deals on many makes and models.

You have to look closely to spot the differences between the Proace Electric’s interior and the one in the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/proace/van/review/n20243">Toyota Proace</a>, but there are a couple.

For one, the Proace Electric gets its own seat material: a typically Toyota black cloth with the ends of the seat bolster finished in leather. It’s an attractive touch and helps raise the perceived quality of an already solid-feeling and well screwed together interior.

Secondly, the instrument cluster has been overhauled. Instead of a rev counter, there's a power meter to tell you how much energy you're using. The fuel gauge has been replaced by a battery charge level indicator and the trip computer has been modified to provide you with a predicted electric range. There’s no gear stick – instead, you select forward and reverse using a rocker switch on the lower centre of the dash.&nbsp;

The rest of the interior is as you’ll find in the regular Proace. That means it’s comfortable but a little on the small side, which is a problem it shares with the virtually identical <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/dispatch/van/review/n22958/in-the-cabin">Citroen e-Dispatch</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/expert/van/review/n22957">Peugeot e-Expert</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/vivaro-e/van/review/n22197">Vauxhall Vivaro-e</a>. The seating position, for example, is quite low, while taller drivers will struggle with leg room. It doesn’t have as many storage compartments as you’ll find in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/transit-custom/van/review/n18288">Ford Transit Custom</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/transporter/van/review/n18205">VW Transporter</a>&nbsp;either.

The Proace Electric's relatively narrow windscreen pillars and bluff nose make checking that the road is clear at a junction a doddle, but manoeuvring into tight gaps can be a little tricky because the door mirrors are surprisingly small. Help is at hand in the form of standard-fit rear parking sensors, while automatic headlights and automatic windscreen wipers should help increase visibility in poor conditions.

All models get a 7in touchscreen infotainment system with DAB radio, Bluetooth and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a>/<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> smartphone mirroring. The system is a little laggy at times, but there are shortcut buttons for most functions on either side of the screen.&nbsp;

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

Proace

A quiet, capable and practical electric van, which shares a platform with the&nbsp;Citroen e-Dispatch, Peugeot e-Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro-e.

With just one body size on offer – compared with the three sizes available from its siblings – the Toyota Proace Electric range is a simple one.

The van measures 4959mm in length and is 1920mm wide, with an overall height of 1890mm. The loadspace has a length of 2512mm, a maximum width of 1628mm and an internal height of 1397mm. Give or take a few mm, that's identical to the space offered by mid-length versions of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/dispatch/van/review/n22958/in-the-cabin">Citroen e-Dispatch</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/expert/van/review/n22957">Peugeot e-Expert</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/vivaro-e/van/review/n22197">Vauxhall Vivaro-e</a>.&nbsp;

Like those three vans, it's also available with an optional Smart Cargo load-through hatch, located in the bulkhead. That adds 1158mm to the maximum lengths that can be carried and increases the standard maximum load volume from 5.3m3 to 5.8m3.

Payloads depend on the size of the battery, with the smaller 50kWh battery version capable of carrying 1226kg and the larger 75kWh van able to transport up to 1000kg. That’s impressive when you consider that the best performing diesel <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/proace/van/review/n20243">Toyota Proace</a> has a 1487kg payload.

The Toyota Proace Electric shares its bits with a formidable range of electric vans. It may not have the wide choice of its siblings, but the Proace Electric matches them in every other way with a quiet, capable and practical van. 

Electric Van

Large Van

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals. These cars qualify for the maximum plug-in car grant (PICG) of £3500.

The Renault Zoe is one of the most affordable options and has a surprisingly long range of between 120 and 180 miles (depending on the weather and the road type). However, the Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen e-Golf are more practical and more accomplished to drive, even if the latter doesn't have a particularly long range between charges.

At the other end of the scale, Tesla’s ground-up EV philosophy – and the American brand’s own network of super-fast chargers – makes the Model S a tempting choice. It has seating for up to seven, an classy interior and a long enough real-world range to make inter-city travel a real possibility.

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter