Fiat's E-Doblo is a small EV van with big ideas. Jonathan Crouch looks at the improved version.

Ten Second Review

If you think switching to electric with a small van will save money for your business in the long term, then you'll want one that'll be well looked after. Fiat's improved E-Doblo might well fit the bill. And there are few practical compromises over the diesel version.

Background

Small vans are of big importance when it comes to reducing smog in our cities. With other sizes of LCV, you can see why for many operators diesel still makes sense. Small vans though, less troubled by the issues of payload and range which trip up EV vans in other categories, ought to be electric. If you run a few in your fleet but you're still wedded to the black pump, then possibly you're just waiting for the right proposition to come along. Maybe this could be it - Fiat's E-Doblo, here usefully improved. Historically, the Doblo model line's been Fiat through and through, but the current generation version, first launched here in mid-2022 then improved in Spring 2024, is a platform-shared Stellantis Group design. Which means it's essentially the same thing as a Citroen e-Berlingo, a Peugeot E-Partner or a Vauxhall Combo Electric; the Toyota Proace City Electric's the same too. Which means that apart from the badging, the differences here lie in value, service support and warranty. As we'll see, these are significant.

Driving Experience

One day in the not-too-distant future, you won't be able to acquire a new van of this size with a combustion engine and if you want that day to come a bit sooner, then this E-Doblo is ready to oblige. It uses a 100kW motor driving the front wheels and powered by a 50kWh battery, which when fully charged can take the E-Doblo up to 205 miles. As usual with this powertrain, there are three driving modes, 'Normal', 'Eco' and 'Power'. You won't want to spend too long in 'ECO', unless you really are eeking out battery capacity because it reduces the powertrain's normal 134bhp output to just 80bhp and also restricts the climate system to conserve power. Fiat recommends that you do most of your driving in the 'Normal' setting, which increases the motor output to 107bhp. The top 'Power' mode isn't really intended for sporty driving but for situations when you're carrying heavy loads. The powertrain also has a 'B' setting which increases the level of regenerative braking to a point where the van slows so much when you come off throttle that you'll very rarely need to use the brake, unless you're coming to a complete stop. You need that B setting to get anywhere near the official driving range figure. As with all electric vehicles, this one has a bit of a weight problem - that drivetrain adds over 300kgs of bulk, but that arguably helps the E-Doblo when it comes to ride quality; you'll feel things like speed humps keenly, but at speed on the open road, it handles tarmac tears a little better than its diesel cousin. This E-Doblo feels really at home in an urban environment and you'll feel really confident in it because the steering is light and the suspension deals with poorer surfaces quite well. The rest to 62mph sprint takes 11.7s and the top speed is restricted to just 81mph, so this EV won't be as good as its diesel counterpart for extended motorway runs.

Design and Build

There are few outward signs that this is an EV van - unless you spot the badging or the charging socket. This E-Doblo might be a re-badged version of an existing Stellantis Group small LCV design but at least from the front end, it doesn't look it. The nose (smartened up for this revised model) gives this van its own sense of urban style, with Fiat's brand badge where you'd normally expect the grille to be: cooling is taken care of by a large intake lower down. As you'd expect, there are long and short wheelbase van and 5-seater Crew Cab versions. Inside, where this revised model offers a smarter Fiat-branded steering wheel and upgraded fabrics, the dash and instrument layout is of course much as you'll find it with this model's other Stellantis cousins. You'll like the available 'Magic Cargo' feature, which enables the van to carry up to three people in the front seats or, alternatively, increase the cargo area's length and loading volume. The passenger-side seat can be raised and the compartment underneath used for boxes or fragile items. On the E-Doblo, one neat touch, unique at launch, is the ePTO 'Magic Plug', which makes it possible to use the battery energy to power tools or other electrical appliances. With plusher trim, you get 10-inch screens for the instruments and the infotainment, the latter one with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. There is no lack of storage space in the cab: 16 storage points according to Fiat, these including a 15-litre area in the centre console.

Market and Model

After deduction of the available £2,500 Plug-in van grant, Fiat wants around £26,000 from you for this E-Doblo excluding VAT and on the road charges. There's a choice of standard or plusher 'Primo' levels of trim and a 7.4kW on-board charger is standard with an optional 11kW one as an alternative. The base price just quoted is for the short wheelbase L1 version. It's probably worth stretching to the long wheelbase L2 variant, which only costs £950 more. With base trim, there's also a Crew Van variant with a second fold-out seating row, available with both levels of trim from around £29,000 - ex VAT after grant deduction. Both levels of trim include quite a lot. You can tick off a near-side sliding side door (with an off-side one too in the L2 version); plus air conditioning. Entry level spec includes connected services, a Smart Phone Station (with capacity for up to 2 USB devices), a DAB radio and Bluetooth. An abundance of driver assistance features includes Lane Keep Assist, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and High Beam Assist. 'Primo' trim level includes a Multimedia Navi Pro infotainment system, with a 10-inch touchscreen and functionality for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The digital instrument cluster of 'Primo' versions is also enhanced with a 10-inch display. With 'Primo' trim, Fiat also includes its 'Moduwork' system which allows you to push through items from the cargo bay into the cab and fold down the passenger seat to create a handy table. Across the range, there are two USB ports in the cab and your dealer will offer you accessories like rubber floor mats and ply lining for the load space. For user convenience, this E- Doblo incorporates an ePTO, a useful electrical socket that allows customers to have power when needing to connect a tool, a mobile workshop, or any other power system up to 400V.

Practicalities and Costs

The dimensions are perfectly in line with the segment, with a length of 4,403mm for the short wheelbase L1 version, ensuring an optimum effective usable length of 1.81m and a 3.3m3 capacity, sufficient to accommodate two Euro pallets. There are two slide-opening side doors on the L2 (one on the L1) and with both body styles, the usual twin side-hinged rear doors that open to 180 degrees. Plus the payload is up to one tonne - the same as the diesel version. The long wheelbase L2 version, which is 4,753mm long, provides even greater load capacity - 3.9m3. Yet more space can be freed up with the clever 'Magic Cargo' feature. This uses a folding front passenger bench to add an extra 0.4m3, while also increasing the maximum load length by 1.3m. Payload across the range is up to 1,000kgs. And there's a 1.5-tonne towing capability that's un-bettered in the class. We gave you the range figure - 205 miles - in our 'Driving' section: bear in mind that with any extended high-speed driving, you'll see that figure plummet very quickly. You can charge the 50kWh battery from a 100kW public rapid charger from 0-80% in 30 minutes. When connected to a 7kW garage wallbox, you'll need seven and a half hours to fully replenish the battery; or five hours with an 11kW wallbox. This Fiat can't match the 10 year warranty cover you get on a comparable Toyota Proace City Electric but you can extend the usual 3 year/60,000 mile warranty to five years with Fiat Professional's optional '555' package, which also gives you roadside assistance and servicing for that period. The battery gets separate cover up that promises to retain up to 70% of its capacity over 8 years or 100,000 miles. On all Doblos, maintenance schedules are up to 25,000 miles/two years.

Summary

The E-Doblo arrived rather late to this particular segment but that delay gave Fiat time to position its value and warranty package closer to the needs of likely operators. If you can get your dealer to throw in a lengthier five year warranty package, then you'll get a standard of after-sales cover that could really swing you this LCV's way. Also significant is the fact that quite a few Fiat Professional dealers also look after IVECO trucks, so they're better versed in the needs of commercial operators than a dealership primarily specialising in cars would be. As for the E-Doblo itself, well the driving range and practicality stats are competitive. And prices match the class standard - which is still further above diesel engine levels than it ought to be. If you're ready to make the EV switch for this class of van though, this one makes more sense than most.