When Is It a Good Time To Talk eLCV?

If you’re coming up to the renewal of your company van, you’ll undoubtedly be approaching your decision with the 2035 ban on the sale of new diesel vans in mind. But the good news is, the market is evolving fast, and with more and more manufacturers introducing electric vans, finding a model that suits your needs is easier than ever. And with electric models now available with compact batteries and unobstructed load areas, plus an increasing number of public charging points, many with rapid chargers which provide a full charge within around 40 minutes, practicality won’t be an issue. 

Although ranges on most new vans are increasing, with some covering more than 200 miles per charge, if you want a van to travel even longer distances regularly – away from towns and cities where you can plug in easily – or feel that the range may be impacted by payload, a plug-in hybrid may still be a more practical solution. 

And the benefits stack up. Lower maintenance and lower fuel (electricity) costs, exemption from Clean Air Zones (CAZ) and Ultra Low Emissions Zones (ULEZ) offer a much better Total Cost of Ownership proposition than comparable petrol and diesel vehicles. Drivers also benefit from much lower rates of Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax if they use the van for personal use. Additionally, businesses, charities and public sector organisations can benefit from the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) grant which allows you to claim up to 75% of the total installation cost, up to £350 per socket and a maximum of 40 sockets. Additionally, until March 2023, Super Deduction tax relief means you can also claim 130% first-year capital allowance on your charging infrastructure investment. Homeowners who live in flats, or people that rent properties can also get up to £350 (including VAT) off the cost of installing a charger at home through the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme. 

And the good news is at VWFS I Fleet, we’re ideally placed to help you start your journey. Given that a single manufacturer isn’t going to be the answer, whether you’re looking at a partial or full-electric fleet, panel vans, chassis cabs, crew cabs, box vans or drop-sides – our multi-marque approach will meet your diverse needs in one place. What’s more, every single member of our team has achieved a Galileo Master Certificate (GMC) at the Renewable Energy Institute (REI), which means we can offer technical expertise and a range of other business benefits too. We also offer several practical tools, including our free eLCV-4-Me tool which will identify which LCVs are suitable for a switch to electric or hybrid and help you move forward more decisively.