Battery range and charging time are improving quickly, which is one reason interest in electric vans among tradespeople rose by 75% in September 2025 compared with September 2024, based on the research from AutoTrader.
But there remains the practical question of which vans fit the work, because the right choice depends less on badge and more on payload needs, daily mileage, where vehicles park overnight, and how much downtime you can tolerate for charging.
New research from Tempcover, a temporary van insurance provider, scored popular small, medium and large electric vans using manufacturer published specifications to find which vans were best for trades.
The business weighted factors such as size, battery range and charging time. The headline winners were Ford E-Transit Courier for small vans, Fiat e-Scudo for medium vans, and Fiat E-Ducato for large vans, with the study also highlighting which models prioritise maximum range or fastest charging.
In the small van category, the Ford E-Transit Courier ranked first with a score of 78 out of 100, thanks to a quoted range of 181 miles, making it a sensible fit for dense urban routes and busy sites where manoeuvrability matters. The Peugeot e-Partner and Fiat e-Doblò were joint second on 72 out of 100, positioned as options for operators who want a compact footprint but need stronger range flexibility depending on the duty cycle.
In the medium van category, the Fiat e-Scudo ranked first on 69 out of 100, with its benefits of a 219 mile range, and a 45 minute charging time measure used in the scoring. Peugeot e-Expert was second on 65 out of 100, while the LEVC VN5 was highlighted as a longer range option at 308 miles alongside a shorter 30 minute charging time, which is the kind of combination that can reduce operational friction if the van is covering longer days between dependable charging points.
For large vans, the Fiat E-Ducato ranked first on 86 out of 100, supported by a quoted range of 267 miles. Peugeot e-Boxer ranked second on 67 out of 100 with a 263 mile range and Ford E-Transit ranked third on 64 out of 100, with fast charging highlighted as the operational advantage when vehicles are working intensively and need to get back on the road with minimal downtime.
From a CBVC fleet management perspective, this is useful because it frames selection around the things that drive total running cost, namely how far the van really travels in a day, how predictable routes are, and how easily charging can be planned to protect uptime, particularly as many trades tend to work in a defined area rather than having to spend hours on the motorway. If you want help choosing an electric van for your business, then please call us on 01283 351200.
