Fiat's improved E-Ducato now offers a bigger battery, a smarter cabin - and much else. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

With this improved E-Ducato, Fiat has again borrowed a Stellantis Group EV powertrain to take another significant step into the market for large segment fully-electric vans. Should you consider one of these? There's now a combined cycle driving range of up to 261 miles, plus a now much smarter cabin, unimpeded carriage volume compared to the combustion version and more eager performance. All food for thought.

Background

The Fiat Ducato van has long been a shared design, but in combustion form has a history of going its own way with powertrains. That didn't though, apply when the Italian brand launched its first full-EV large segment LCV back in 2020, the E-Ducato. Predictably, given the huge costs of EV tech, it borrowed its core battery powertrain from the Stellantis Group parts shelf. Even here though, Fiat Professional couldn't resist doing someting a little different, including in the E-Ducato portfolio an entry-level 47kWh battery customers couldn't have with equivalent Stellantis Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall models - and small wonder because in this form, the E-Ducato could carry hardly anything and go just 88 miles between charges. All of that kind of nonsense has been discarded as part of the Model Year 2024 facelift that's brought us this much improved E-Ducato. Like its clones, the Peugeot E-Boxer, the Citroen e-Relay, the Vauxhall Movano Electric and the Toyota Proace Max Electric, it offers a far bigger 110kWh battery capable of up to 261 miles between charges. Plus in this electric form, the E-Ducato gets the much improved cabin screen tech that its combustion showroom stablemates currently lack. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience

Unlike its diesel-powered stablemates, the powerplant formula of this E-Ducato has never differed from that offered with its Stellantis Group Peugeot and Citroen large van electric stablemates. Which means that as part of the 2024 Model Year update, the previous quite restrictive 49kWh and 79kWh battery options that this LCV was originally launched with have at last been junked in favour of a much more usable 110kWh battery, paired with a gutsier 270hp electric motor offering up to 410Nm of torque. The resulting package can now take this Fiat 261 miles between charges. There are strange-looking push-button controls for the single-speed gearbox, but the starting procedure's straightforward. Unlike other EV vans, the surge of power you get at the wheel of this one is rather gradual. The performance and range of this improved E-Ducato can be optimised depending on conditions thanks to three driving modes ('Normal', 'Eco' and 'Power'), and features paddles located just behind the steering wheel that activate four levels of regenerative deceleration. The steering's quite a old-fashioned set-up that's quite heavy at low speeds, but lightens up at faster ones. Whatever E-Ducato variant you select, around town, this van can make light work of tricky urban situations; the 'L3H2' variant offers a relatively tight 14.14m turning circle between kerbs. Ride quality, a traditional Ducato strong point, isn't too much affected by the extra weight of the battery pack. An optional 'Worksite Heavy Pack' gives you a 'Traction Plus' system and M+S tyres for extra grip.

Design and Build

Apart from the addition of a charging flap, different badge work and the lack of an exhaust pipe, there's nothing really to visually set the electric version of this Fiat apart from its diesel stablemate. There's a slightly sharper look for this updated E-Ducato with a new FIAT-branded fascia above the lower air intake. Otherwise, visually not too much has changed here. This big Fiat LCV is offered with a wheelbase of up to 4.04m and total length of 6.36m. Customers can choose from two different lengths, three heights and Panel Van, Window Van or Chassis Van body styles. Inside, this EV version gets a new 10-inch central screen - a vast improvement on the old fashioned 5-inch centre screen paired with a 3.5-inch driver information instrument binnacle display that continues with the diesel models. This big central monitor features fully integrated satellite navigation, voice recognition and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Otherwise, you have to look quite closely to see the differences with the E-Ducato. There's a read-out on the dashboard telling you how much charge is left in the battery, with a separate display indicating how much drive range is remaining and showing if the regeneration function is operating. Plus there's another read-out telling you how economically you happen to be driving. As part of this update, the dashboard can now feature an optional 230V socket. This helps to easily charge electrical devices such as laptops, electric tool batteries, tablets and other low power appliances that require electricity up to 150 Watts. As before, the seats are supportive and you can't fault the cabin for stowage options. There are two gloveboxes, with an open recess between them, plus there are three storage levels (and a bottle holder) in each of the door cards. And you get lots of space beneath the two-person passenger bench, plus there's a cubby under the climate controls, with a cup holder to the left of it.

Market and Model

After the available £5,000 government Plug-in Van grant has been deducted, E-Ducato prices were starting at around £45,000 and ranged up to around £48,000 at the time of this updated model's launch. That's a big saving over the prices being asked for the smaller-battery versions of this model offered before. In theory, as well as the standard spec level, there's also a plusher 'Primo'-spec version, but that's only ogffered to E-Ducato customers with a single L3/H2 body shape. Across the range, you can choose between two body lengths and three roof heights. To give you some perspective on those figures, at the time of this updated model's launch, prices for diesel Ducato models started from just over £31,000. All models are decently equipped, even base-spec variants including cruise control, a speed limiter and a DAB audio system with Bluetooth. Top versions have features like 17-inch alloy wheels, High beam assist, power-folding mirrors and front parking sensors. Top-spec variants get camera-driven kit like speed limit recognition, lane departure warning, Side Blind Spot Alert and Driver Attention Alert systems. There's also a clever 'Intelligent Speed adaptation' system that enables you to maintain a constant speed at a cruise. You might additionally want to add various optional autonomous driving ADAS features - like Side Blind Spot Alert and Driver Attention Alert systems. There's also a clever 'Intelligent Speed adaptation' system that enables you to maintain a constant speed at a cruise. The E-Ducato is capable of level two autonomous driving (available on automatic models in conjunction with specific option packs). The combination of adaptive cruise control with 'Stop & Go' function, lane positioning assist and traffic jam assist enables this Fiat to steer, brake and accelerate itself at speeds up to 18mph - for example in slow traffic - provided that the driver's hands remain on the steering wheel. An extensive array of other safety systems is included as standard on this updated E-Ducato, including a rear-view parking camera, rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition. A fresh set of connected services can transform the way you might be able to use this Ducato. 'Uconnect' Services and the FIAT app will make it possible to manage and monitor the vehicle directly from various devices.

Practicalities and Costs

Choose this E-Ducato rather than a Ducato diesel and you'll find no practicality compromises with the under-floor battery installation. The E-Ducato Panel Van can be had with three heights (H1/H1/H3) and in two different body lengths (L3/L4). The full-height twin rear doors open conventionally, but we'd want to specify the optional 270-degree feature which allows you to fold them back along the vehicle sides. Depending on variant, cargo capacity varies between 10m3 and 17m3. There's the usual sliding side door (with the option of another on the other side) and if you use it to swallow really heavy loads, you'll want to choose the right payload variant - there are E-Ducato payload options between 635kgs and 1,695kgs - some way down on the payload capacities of the diesel version, which can be up to 2,315kgs. Up to 2.4-tonnes can be towed. As usual, we'd recommend that you add the ply-lining kit for the load area sides we have fitted here. The bulkhead's tough, but offers no load-through flap into the cab for longer items. We gave you the driving range figure in our 'Driving' section. The 110kWh battery works with an 11kW onboard charger. A full charge from an 11kW AC charger will take 12 hours. While using a 150kW DC rapid charging point, 55 minutes is enough to charge the battery to 80%. Like Fiat's other fully electric LCV models, the E-Ducato is exempt from current ultra-low and congestion charge payments. The zero emissions powertrain also allows businesses to save significantly on company van tax, with a 0% Benefit-in-Kind tax rate. This provides eligible businesses with immediate and significant annual savings that can amount to thousands of pounds.

Summary

Fiat's E-Ducato is one of five available Stellantis Group-designed electric LCVs in the segment for large vans, but it has its own look - and its own approach to comprehensive dealer back-up, which could endear this Fiat Professional product to you when it comes to your business's choice in this class. Edging out its otherwise pretty-identical Peugeot e-Boxer, Vauxhall Movano Electric, Citroen e-Relay and Toyota Proace Max Electric design stablemates. Like other contenders in this sector, it suffers a bit over the combustion version in terms of payload capacity. But if that doesn't matter too much, the price is palatable and your delivery schedule can cope with the driving range, there are good reasons to consider this Fiat. Better big EV commercials than this are on the way, but for now, this one could suit the right kind of company just fine.