The Vauxhall Vivaro Electric sells well for a reason. Jonathan Crouch checks out the improved model.

Ten Second Review

Vauxhall's Luton-made Vivaro Electric is our market's best selling mid-sized EV van - and one of the UK's fastest selling EVs of any kind. That's due to a large dealer network, decent operating range and load area practicality that is generally uncompromised by the full-battery powertrain. If your company's ready to switch to Zero Emissions motoring, one of these probably needs to be on your radar. Here, we look at the revised model.

Background

The segment for EV vans has had a slow start, partly because of the global pandemic but mainly because of high pricing and lack of operating range. Gradually though, operators are beginning to take full-electric LCVs seriously. To understand why, you might want to take a look at our subject here, Britain's best selling EV commercial, the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric. This British-built contender is a shared Stellantis Group design also marketed by the conglomerate as the Citroen e-Dispatch, the Peugeot e-Expert and the Fiat E-Scudo - and by Toyota as the Proace Electric. We've also tried this vehicle in MPV passenger form as the Vauxhall Vivaro Life Electric. So what sets this van apart in the race to convert sceptical businesses to the advantages of EV? Let's find out.

Driving Experience

Vauxhall has ditched the previous smaller 50kWh battery used in this model (which only went 133 miles on the combined cycle) and now restricts Vivaro sales to variants fitted with the larger 75kWh Stellantis battery. Plus a lot of work's been done on this unit to eke out range, enough so that it's claimed to now take you up to 217 miles in this van - 12 miles more than before. As previously, there's a 136PS electric motor offering 260Nm of torque and there are three driving modes - 'Normal', 'Eco' and 'Power', with only the latter releasing the motor's full output. Even then, top speed is just 84mph. The Vivaro Electric has a regenerative braking system that can be adjusted through three recuperation levels using paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. As with a diesel Vivaro, there's a little bit of an issue with an offset driving position (which also affects this model's Stellantis Group cousins), but refinement is good by LCV standards, as is ride quality thanks to load-sensitive shock absorbers and a so-called 'passive' suspension system that adjusts springing and damping as required, depending on the road surface. Plus this model feels quite manoeuvrable. Testers who'd found the sheer size of some other mid-sized LCVs in this segment a little daunting when dealing with narrow country lanes and squeezing through gaps in the traffic were, we found, much more easily able to acclimatise to a Vivaro. The bonnet's set quite high, but the nose has a squared-off shape that we've found during our testing programme makes this Vauxhall easy to place in tight urban situations.

Design and Build

Apart from the badge work, there's little to set this full-electric Vivaro apart from its diesel-engined stablemates. This updated design isn't a new generation Vivaro Electric, but Vauxhall wants you to think it is. Hence the installation of the brand's more charismatic 'Vizor' front end now familiar from its other models. The Vizor panel extends seamlessly across the front, integrating with headlights that can now incorporate LED beams. The panel features the company's latest Griffin logo at its centre. As before, there are two body lengths - 4.98m and 5.33m - and a double cab variant. But Vauxhall doesn't offer a high roof option. The main design changes lie inside where every Vivaro Electric now features a 10-inch digital driver instrument display, complemented by 10-inch central touchscreen featuring standard-fit wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto'. As part of redesigning the dashboard to take this bigger monitor, the designers have also taken the opportunity to enlarge the storage areas around the instrument panel and the centre console. Plus there's a clever 'e-Power Take-off' unit feature which allows the vehicle's traction battery to be used as a power source for other electrical devices. Otherwise, things are much as before, which means quite a car-like seating position with plenty of seat and wheel adjustment. As usual in this class, a three-person bench seat is fitted and there's a 'FlexCargo' bulkhead flap so that longer items can be pushed through from the cargo area. The middle part of the seat folds down to create a table. Most dashboard functions are on the central touchscreen, though the climate controls are separated out below.

Market and Model

Vivaro Electric van pricing starts at around £38,000 (exc VAT) after deduction of the £5,000 Government Plug-in Van Grant and this LCV is available in two trim levels: 'Prime' or 'Pro', with a choice of two lengths, 'L1' (4.95m) and 'L2' (5.30m). There's also a passenger-carrying version, the Vivaro Life Electric, priced from around £37,500 and available in 8 and 9-seater forms. And a Platform Cab commercial variant (priced from just over £42,000 excluding VAT). All models are decently equipped, but bear in mind you have to opt for a plusher 'Pro' spec to get the useful 'FlexCargo' load-through bulkhead. With both models, the 10-inch centre screen uses an integrated Snapdragon Cockpit platform from Qualcomm technologies enabling state-of-the-art graphics, multimedia features and computer vision capabilities. There's lots of safety kit too. Even 'Prime' versions now come as standard with systems such as High Beam Assist, Intelligent Speed Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert and Advanced Emergency Braking. Adaptive Cruise Control with a Stop and Go function is also available as an option. In all, eighteen advanced driver assistance systems fitted across the range and particularly notable is the new Dynamic Surround Vision system, standard on Pro versions and optional on Prime versions. This comprises two cameras, one located above the rear doors and another under the passenger-side exterior mirror. The images - of the rear while driving and (when activated by the indicator stalk) of the side blind-spot - are displayed in the new high-definition digital rear-view mirror.

Practicalities and Costs

Nothing's changed out back with this revised model. Which means that carriage capacity is still unchanged over an ordinary diesel Vivaro, at 5.3 m3 for the L1 6.1 m3 for the L2. The only practical area where you really suffer with the electric model is in terms of maximum payload, which will be around 200kg down on what you'd get from the diesel. We gave you the driving range figure in our 'Driving' section - 217 miles on the combined cycle for the remaining 75kWh variant. The cost savings versus diesel model won't of course be as great as they used to be but they should still be substantial. At this vehicle's original launch before the electricity crisis, Vauxhall reckoned that an operator would save around £100 a month compared to a 2.0-litre diesel Vivaro, based on covering 40 miles a day. Servicing costs will be lower as well, there's no road tax, Benefit-in-Kind tax is levied at 60% of the normal van rate and the Vivaro Electric is exempt from the London Congestion Charge. Charging via a 7.4kW wall box will take over 11hours for the 75kWh battery. If you find a 100kW DC rapid charger when you're out and about, you'll be able to get the smaller battery from near empty to 80% full around 45 minutes. An 11kW onboard charger is optional to replace the standard 7.4kW one.

Summary

The Vivaro Electric is one of the best of the current crop of mid-sized EV vans, especially in this improved form. And if you pair its technology with Vauxhall's wide UK LCV dealer network, you have the reason for this model's strong sales performance. Well, a strong sales performance by EV van standards anyway. In half a decade's time, we'll probably look back on early full-battery LCV like this as being hopelessly compromised, but right here, right now, this is where it's at. Of course, potential Vivaro Electric customers convinced by Vauxhall's proposition will need to remember that in a rival full-battery Peugeot Expert, Citroen Dispatch, Fiat Scudo or Toyota Proace, they could have pretty much exactly the same product with a different badge. It's at that point though, that the power of Vauxhall's huge UK dealer network might well sway the decision this Luton brand's way. If you thought an EV drivetrain would compromise carriage capacity or condemn your van to an urban life, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the Vivaro Electric. Enough to pay the price for one? That might be a different matter.