The car-derived van sector has been given a boost with the launch of the new Citroen e-C3 Van, which provides a small urban electric van for less than £20,000. The e-C3 Van is one of the smallest conventional commercial vehicles that you can buy in the UK, and offers a fully converted version of the small Citroen e-C3 supermini.
The van e-C3 is based on the Plus version of the e-C3, offering much the same equipment and cabin as the passenger car model. The differences all come behind the full-height bulkhead, which is a mesh divider allowing you to see through to the rear. There is a total of 1,220 litres of space in the loading bay, although Citroen also provides a load cover to keep items tucked out of sight – there is 730-litres of space underneath this.
The loading area is 1.2m long and 1.0meter wide at the floor level and is capable of taking a 300kg payload. This is somewhat lower than the Citroen’s closest competitor, the Dacia Spring Cargo, which can take up to 370kg.
Strong range, loads of kit
The Citroen has the better of its rivals in one notable area, though – its electric range is a claimed 200 miles, which is significantly more than the Spring Cargo’s 140 miles. This comes courtesy of a 44kWh battery that can be hooked up to a 100kW charger to get from 20-80% capacity in just 26 minutes. This is again somewhat faster than the Spring.
The motor underneath the e-C3 Van is the same as the car version, so it comes with a comparatively meagre 113hp output. Our reviewers reckon this leaves the passenger car feeling a little underpowered, but this is less of a concern for van drivers carrying out urban deliveries.
The Plus trim on which the van’s specification is based might well be the entry-level one in the UK, but it is the mid-point version in other countries, so this is not a stripped-back vehicle. This means it comes with a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a head-up display, cruise control and rear parking sensors. The only downgrade comes in the form of the wheels, which are 17-inch steel rims rather than the alloys fitted to the car, but Citroen says it has done this to keep refurbishment costs down. Alloys being at risk of kerb scrapes when parking around town.
How much does the Citroen e-C3 Van cost and when can I buy one?
There is just the one version of the Citroen e-C3 Van and it is priced at £22,437 (not including VAT) but this comes down to £19,937 when you factor in the £2,500 Plug-in Van Grant. It is available to order now.
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