Fiat launches range of electric vans for commercial market

The yet untapped opportunity and challenge for EV’s (electric vehicles) lays within the commercial area and Fiat has just launched its range of electric vans. With Ford, Nissan and Mercedes recently launching into this space (albeit Nissan having been around a little longer with the smaller sized EV), Fiat is going all-in as it launches a range of some big sized electric vans.

Thus far, the largest electric van has been Mercedes with a range of just 90 miles.  Ok for shorter distances for that ‘last mile delivery’ and lighter loads. 

Orders for the 100% electric Fiat E-Ducato are now open, priced from £47,675 excluding VAT (after the Government grant to incentivise us to go-electric including grants available for installation of EV chargers), enabling customers to receive all the benefits of having zero tailpipe emissions with the versatility of a large LCV.

Kickstarting the Fiat launch into 100 percent electric vehicles, the E-Ducato large LCV has a range of between 113 and 230 miles (Weight ladened City*), depending on the variant. It is congestion charge and ULEZ-exempt, making it the a new opportunity for businesses in both urban and suburban environments. 

Tech-Talk – how big is yours? Range and driving dynamics

With this Fiat launch of EV vans, they’re providing a choice between two battery sizes – 47kWh or 79kWh. The 47kWh battery, alongside a 90kW motor, provides a range of up to 146 miles (WLTP City*), a maximum power of 90kW (equivalent to 122hp) and maximum torque of 280Nm at 12,000rpm.

All out for speed – Fast charging in under 2 1/2 hours to full

E-Ducato reaches a top speed of 62mph and takes under 6 seconds to go from zero to 30mph. Its impressive charging time of zero to fully charged, takes just 2 hours and 25 minutes, enabling you to recharge and get back on the road in the quickest time possible. The 47kWh battery is available with AC or DC charging capability.  The quick charge for electric cars is 80% in 30 minutes, I hope that’s available too.

The 79kWh battery is fused to the same 90kW motor and receives the same power and torque outputs as the 47kWh battery, however provides a longer range of up to 230 miles (WLTP City*). E-Ducato with the 79kWh battery takes just 4 hours to charge from zero to 100 per cent and is also available with AC or DC charging capability.

These figures still do not impede on the payload, previously seen as a challenge with reduced power, with the E-Ducato boasting of up to 1,885kg and maintains the same volumes as ICE (internal combustion engine) Ducato of between 10m³ and 17m³.

Range is maximised in E-Ducato through its regenerative braking system, with the van storing energy as it is driven downhill. This ensures range isn’t wasted and is stored for when needed most. 

Total Cost of Ownership

The Fiat launch of these EV’s claim that special attention has been paid to Total Cost of Ownership.  As you’d expect with an electric vehicle, lower running costs and purchase incentives, it substantially achieves parity compared with a Ducato with an internal combustion engine. To give an example, the E-Ducato offers real-world fuel savings of approximately £13,000 to a comparable diesel version running 95,000 miles, whilst servicing costs are over 40 per cent lower than a similarly sized diesel commercial vehicle.

Pro-Fit by e-Ducato app
The experts from Fiat Professional and Stellantis e-Mobility have worked in close collaboration to create a functional web tool, designed to advise on the most suitable version of the E-Ducato for each customer. Pro-Fit by E-Ducato is based on the knowledge that every customer requirement is different, information is gathered on mileage, type of route, working days and weeks, average payload, usage mix, usage temperature and the charging slots available in order to guide the customer to the best E-Ducato for their needs. The configuration tool can also be used with real-world data gathered via the app. This new feature will also enable light commercial vehicle fleet managers to simulate the use of a full-electric fleet, aiming at increasingly sustainable and environment-friendly urban and suburban mobility. At the same time, it also offers higher performance and can meet the needs of businesses and employees.

For further details on the Fiat E-Ducato and Pro-Fit by E-Ducato, please visit www.fiatprofessional.co.uk and https://profitbyeducato.com/#/login

If you’ve got an EV or launch for review or test drive, need an electric car/van charging point installed, get in touch.