A lack of range and long charging times are generally the disadvantages that electric cars are constantly confronted with.
Of course, there are areas where these admittedly still existing disadvantages are of little or no consequence.
In distribution, for example.
It is also booming because God and the world orders online because of the pandemic.
Boris Schmidt
Editor in the “Technology and Engine” section.
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Holger Appel
Editor in business, responsible for "Technology and Engine".
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The fleet managers from DHL or Amazon usually know exactly how many kilometers their vehicles cover during the day and can accurately estimate whether an electric car can be trusted to complete the tour.
And charging takes place overnight at the depot.
It was not for nothing that Amazon Germany ordered 1,800 electric Mercedes-Benz Sprinters and Vitos last year.
In the USA, the former book retailer, which has blossomed into a delivery giant, has even ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans from the American brand Rivian.
Cooling and driving: it works!
There are no such large orders in Europe yet, but all relevant manufacturers have now their hats in the ring.
Only Ford not yet, the electric transit will not come until 2022. Ford can, however, claim that together with the Chinese supplier LEVC, they currently offer the only plug-in hybrid delivery vans.
The PSA Group, including Opel, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat and Iveco, Nissan, Renault, Toyota and Volkswagen, is currently active in the market for electric vans.
With the electric Sprinter and the smaller Vito, Mercedes-Benz is at the forefront, while the electric Citan, the technical offshoot of the Mercedes EQT that has just been presented, will complete the Stuttgart-based trio of delivery vehicles in 2022.
The Citan is being developed in cooperation with Renault, whose Kangoo, which has been available with electricity for a long time, will soon be a new one.
The van division of Mercedes-Benz is busy and has plans. There are also special bodies based on the electric Vito, such as refrigerated trucks. It used to be said that cooling and electric driving are incompatible. Mercedes wants to prove the opposite. 3.5 cubic meters of loading volume, 80 to 100 kilometers range and 50 door openings per tour are on the program that is being tested with the Hello Fresh delivery service. A version with a rear cutout for wheelchair users is also in preparation. And there should be an ambulance, not for emergency use, but for planned relocations. Its battery has a usable 35 kWh, which underlines the limited radius. Mercedes can also imagine its electric vans as a distribution vehicle for pharmaceuticals to pharmacies,and already thinks bigger up to the Sprinter model with the first electrically driven rear axle. Just electric motor and mobile home, they don't go together for the time being.
Delivery vans also receive subsidies
Opel has been benefiting from its French relatives since autumn 2020 with the Vivaro, which is available in three lengths of up to 5.30 meters.
Mathematically, the loading volume is then 6600 liters, three euro pallets fit into the longest Vivaro.
The small Combo and the large Movano will be arriving as electricians this year; all three models are closely related to those from Peugeot-Citroën.
And the new Toyota Pro Ace also uses PSA technology.
Volkswagen, a big player in the van business, is currently only on the market with the big Crafter, which is also available as the MAN GTE.
The electric Bulli, of which there will probably be a cargo version, is eagerly awaited.
The current VW T6.1 is still electric, converted by ABT in Kempten, which also takes care of the Caddy.
And Fiat? The E-Ducato, which comes in all body variants with the same loading volume of 10 to 17 cubic meters, has started these days at prices from 68,000 euros. There are batteries with a capacity of 47 or 79 kWh and the range is 220 to 360 kilometers. Iveco, which is a pioneer with the electric Daily model, available in five lengths and three heights, will be renovating the van from the ground up in 2022. It will then come with lithium-ion batteries and again with variants over 3.5 tons. Ultimately, it is beneficial for everyone that the delivery vans also benefit from the electric car bonus. A grant of 7500 euros is granted.