Electric van buying guide for UK fleets

This guide covers buying or leasing electric vans for a business fleet in Great Britain. The rules are linked to the government page that sets them, checked on 12 November 2026. The van figures come from THRIVE's own van database, read on 12 November 2026: 93 electric van versions on sale, across 38 models, each figure taken from the manufacturer.

The short answer

• Start with the work, not the van. Daily miles, where the van sleeps, the heaviest load and any trailer decide which electric vans can do the job. Price and range come after.
• Official range runs from 139 to 295 miles across the electric vans on sale (WLTP or the maker's official figure). Manufacturers say real range is lower in cold weather, at motorway speed and with a load.
• Payload: 48 electric van versions carry 1,000kg or more, 37 of them at 3,500kg gross weight. 11 versions are plated at 4,250kg, which a car licence covers for an electric van but not for a diesel.
• Charging off the public network costs far less. On THRIVE's charging data, a van costs about 10p a mile charged at the depot and 9.2p at the driver's home, against 23.9p on public rapid chargers and 20.9p for diesel (business prices excluding VAT; home at the price cap).
• Grant: up to £2,500 off a small van and £5,000 off a large van, applied by the seller as a discount of up to 35%. The government has said the grant runs to "at least 2027" and has not published a closing date.
• Tax: an electric van carries no van benefit charge (£0 against £4,170 for a diesel in 2026 to 2027), pays the same £360 vehicle tax as a diesel van up to 3,500kg, and sits outside the pay-per-mile charge planned for electric cars from April 2028.

Start with the duty cycle

The duty cycle is what the van does on a normal day and on its worst day. Four questions settle most of it, and each one rules vans in or out before you look at a price list.

1. How far does the van go on its longest regular day? Use telematics or fuel card data if you have it, not the average. A van that covers 80 miles most days and 190 miles on Fridays needs to cover 190 miles in winter, loaded.
2. Where does it park overnight? A depot, a driver's drive, or a street with no off-road parking. This decides how it charges and what that costs, covered in the charging section.
3. What is the heaviest load it carries? Weigh it if you are unsure. Batteries are heavy, so an electric van often carries less than the diesel version of the same body.
4. Does it tow? Towing cuts range, and some electric vans are not rated to tow at all.

THRIVE's van lists answer the common shortlists straight from the database: small electric vans, medium electric vans and large electric vans compared on range, payload and price. If you are unsure which size you need, the guide to van sizes explains what small, medium and large mean in load space and weight.

What is on sale now

THRIVE's database holds 93 electric van versions on sale in the UK, from 38 models. The spread inside each size is wide, which is why the duty cycle matters more than the badge.

Size	Versions on sale	Official range	Payload
Small	28 (14 models)	141 to 295 miles	302kg to 1,045kg
Medium	35 (13 models)	139 to 277 miles	690kg to 1,338kg
Large	30 (11 models)	145 to 263 miles	502kg to 1,489kg

Range is the official figure the manufacturer publishes for that version; where a maker gives a spread, THRIVE uses the cautious end. Two versions have only a maker's preliminary or pre-homologation figure, which is left out of these ranges. Seven of the small versions are car-derived vans, built on a car body, and they include the longest-range small van; the longest-range purpose-built small van is the Kia PV5 Cargo L2H1 at 258 miles. Payload is the manufacturer's figure for that exact body and weight rating, and options reduce it.

Size	Peak rapid (DC) charging	AC charging	Braked towing
Small	57kW to 153kW	7.4kW to 22kW	up to 1,600kg (12 of 28 tow 1,000kg or more)
Medium	70kW to 185kW	11kW	up to 2,300kg (32 of 35 tow 1,000kg or more)
Large	78kW to 150kW	11kW to 22kW	up to 2,450kg (22 of 30 tow 1,000kg or more)

The fastest-charging van in the database is the Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo at 185kW peak. The full rankings are on the fastest-charging electric vans list, the longest-range electric vans list and the list of electric vans that can tow 1,000kg or more, which 66 versions do. For two head-to-heads, see the Ford E-Transit Custom against the Peugeot e-Expert and the Fiat E-Ducato against the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter.

How far can an electric van go on a charge?

On official figures, the electric vans on sale in the UK go between 139 and 295 miles on a full charge, and 40 versions are rated at 200 miles or more (see the electric vans over 200 miles list). The longest-range medium van is the Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo at 277 miles, and the longest-range large van the Fiat E-Ducato L3H2 at 263 miles. Real-world range is lower, and by how much depends on the day.

The official figure is a laboratory test result for comparing vans, not a promise. Manufacturers say so on their own pages. Toyota says its electric range figures are "the maximum official (WLTP) test values provided for comparison purposes", and lists among the things that change them driving style, weather conditions, speed, vehicle and battery age and vehicle load. Volkswagen says distance will usually be lower in cold conditions or during sustained motorway driving, and names payload among the causes.

No official source publishes a single percentage to knock off the WLTP figure for winter or for a full load, and this guide does not invent one. THRIVE's database holds no independently tested real-world ranges yet. The practical test is your own: run a demonstrator on your longest regular route, loaded, in winter if you can, and read the energy used from the van's trip computer.

Turning battery size into miles

If you know a van's usable battery (THRIVE has it for 64 of the 93 electric versions), you can make your own estimate. THRIVE's charging data assumes a van uses 0.35kWh a mile, about 2.9 miles per kWh. On that assumption, a 75kWh usable battery gives about 214 miles from full to empty. That is THRIVE's working assumption, not a test result: a heavier van, a loaded van or a cold morning uses more. Do not plan on arriving empty; keep a margin for diversions and queues at chargers.

Payload, weight and the 4.25-tonne licence rule

An electric van's battery adds weight, and a van's payload is what is left between its unladen weight and its gross vehicle weight. A heavier battery leaves less payload unless the van is plated heavier. That is why some electric large vans are plated at 4,250kg rather than 3,500kg.

On manufacturers' figures, 48 electric van versions on sale carry 1,000kg or more; the highest payload in the database is 1,489kg, on the Ford E-Transit L3H2 crew van. They are ranked on the electric vans over 1,000kg payload list. Of all the electric versions, 11 are plated above 3,500kg, from the Citroën Relay, Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, Peugeot Boxer, Toyota Proace Max and Vauxhall Movano, with payloads from 1,385kg to 1,489kg.

Can I drive a 4.25 tonne electric van on a car licence?

Yes, if the van is zero emission and you hold a full category B licence. GOV.UK says a category B licence covers vehicles with a maximum authorised mass of "3,500kg for petrol and diesel vehicles" and "4,250kg for electric or hydrogen vehicles" (driving licence categories). The change came into force on 10 June 2025. The government's guidance adds that you can tow a trailer as long as the combination does not exceed 7,000kg, so a 4,250kg van can tow a trailer of up to 2,750kg; a driver who passed the category B test before 1 January 1997 can drive combinations up to 8,250kg (driving an electric or hydrogen-powered vehicle). A diesel van plated above 3,500kg still needs a category C1 licence.

Two more rules for these heavier electric vans changed on 1 June 2026:

• MOT. Zero emission goods vehicles between 3,501kg and 4,250kg design gross weight take a class 7 MOT, the same test as a 3,500kg van, with the first test 3 years after registration.
• Drivers' hours. In Great Britain only, a zero emission goods vehicle with a maximum permissible mass, including any trailer, between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes falls under a national derogation from the assimilated drivers' hours rules. The trailer counts, so a heavy electric van towing can fall outside it.

Heavier electric vans also have an operator licence exemption for domestic work, explained in THRIVE's operator licence guide. The full set of payload and licence rules, with diesel and electric payloads side by side for twelve models, is in THRIVE's article on van payload and driving licence rules.

Charging: depot, home and public

On THRIVE's figures, where a van charges changes its energy cost per mile more than which van it is. THRIVE's fleet charging costs page prices each route from government and industry data; the figures below were checked on 10 November 2026, for a fleet of 50 vans covering 18,000 miles each a year.

Where the van charges	Pence a mile	A year for 50 vans
Depot	10p	£90,059
Driver's home	9.2p	£82,908
Public, standard chargers	15.7p	£141,750
Public, rapid chargers	23.9p	£215,250
Diesel, for comparison	20.9p	£187,706

Depot prices are DESNZ's average non-domestic electricity price for the fleet's size band, public prices are Zapmap's pay-as-you-go averages, and home is the Ofgem price cap unit rate; business prices exclude VAT, and the home rate is what the driver pays. Standing charges and grid work are not included. A mix of 70% depot and 30% public charging comes to 13p a mile on these assumptions. The page has a calculator for your own fleet size and mix.

Depot charging

Depot charging costs about 10p a mile on these figures, close to home charging, and needs the most planning, because every van plugging in at once adds up to a large load. On THRIVE's 0.35kWh a mile assumption, a van that covers 100 miles needs about 35kWh, which a 7kW charger replaces in about 5 hours. 50 vans on 7kW chargers draw 350kW if they all start together, which is why many depots use smart charging that staggers the load overnight, or ask the local network operator about a bigger connection.

The government's Depot Charging Scheme part-funds depot chargers for fleets that include, or will include, at least one battery electric van, HGV or coach. Its next window runs from 11 November 2026 to 26 February 2027 with a £38m budget, funding 60% of chargepoint and civil costs up to £1 million across all sites, for projects completed by 31 March 2028. The Workplace Charging Scheme pays up to 75% of costs, capped at £500 a socket and 40 sockets, and has been extended for a final year until 31 March 2027. Public tenders for chargepoints are tracked on THRIVE's EV charging tenders page, and keeping depot chargers working is covered in the charger maintenance checklist.

Home charging

Vans that go home with their drivers can charge on a domestic tariff. VAT was removed from household electricity bills from 1 October 2026, a cut the government says is funded for this financial year. The employer then has to repay the driver. HMRC's advisory electric rates (7p a mile for home charging and 15p for public charging from 1 September 2026) only apply to employees using a company car, so there is no official rate for vans. THRIVE's guide to reimbursing home EV charging sets out the options, and the real cost to charge page tracks what a home charge costs at the current price cap.

Public charging

Public charging is the most expensive route and the most flexible. HMRC has confirmed that electricity from publicly accessible and workplace chargepoints does not qualify for the domestic VAT relief, for supplies made on or after 1 November 2026. The cost per mile of each route over time is in THRIVE's article on electric van charging costs per mile.

Is there still a grant for electric vans?

Yes. The government's zero emission van grant takes up to £2,500 off an eligible small van and up to £5,000 off an eligible large van, as a discount of up to 35% that the seller includes in the price. You do not apply; the dealer or manufacturer claims it (GOV.UK: vans eligible for a grant).

• Small vans: under 2,500kg gross vehicle weight, zero tailpipe CO2, and able to travel at least 96km (60 miles) without emissions. Maximum discount £2,500.
• Large vans: between 2,500kg and 4,250kg gross vehicle weight, on the same emissions and range tests. Maximum discount £5,000.
• Only approved models count. GOV.UK lists the eligible vans by name, and warns that "there are a limited number of grants".

The grant bands are set by gross vehicle weight, not by how a van is marketed, so a van sold as small can fall in the large band. In THRIVE's database, 89 of the 93 electric versions are marked eligible; on their gross weight, 17 fall in the small-van band and 70 in the large-van band, with 2 lacking a verified gross weight. Four versions are not on the list: BYD Dolphin Cargo and Toyota Proace Max. Check the GOV.UK list for the exact version before you order.

On timing, the government said in August 2025 that the grant would continue through to at least 2027, and in March 2026 that it will continue to offer discounts of up to £5,000. Neither page, nor the eligibility list, gives a closing date. The grant can only be claimed for new vans at first registration, and the discount is taken off the price at the point of sale. GOV.UK does not say which grant level applies to a van ordered before a change and registered after it, so confirm it with the seller.

Tax: van benefit, vehicle tax and capital allowances

An electric van is taxed more lightly than a diesel on the van benefit charge, the same on vehicle tax and capital allowances, and sits outside the planned pay-per-mile charge. This is a summary; THRIVE's article on company van tax and the van benefit charge covers the detail, and the lease or buy guide covers how tax changes with the way you fund the van.

Tax	Electric van	Diesel van
Van benefit charge, 2026 to 2027	£0	£4,170
Van benefit charge from 6 April 2027	£0	£4,310
Vehicle tax, 12 months, up to 3,500kg	£360	£360
Pay-per-mile eVED from April 2028	Not planned for vans	Not applicable

Van benefit charge

If an employee can use a company van for private journeys, the employer reports a standard value of £4,170 for 2026 to 2027. For a zero emission van, HMRC says you report it at 0% of £4,170, which is £0. A van used only for business journeys, where any private use is insignificant, and a genuine pool van are exempt whatever their fuel, although a van provided through a salary sacrifice arrangement must still be reported. The Budget 2026 overview of tax legislation and rates confirms the diesel figure rises to £4,310 from 6 April 2027, and that company vans must be reported through payroll from the same date.

Vehicle tax

Electric vans have paid vehicle tax since 1 April 2025. A light goods vehicle up to 3,500kg, "including zero emission vehicles", pays £360 for 12 months from 1 April 2026. Budget 2026 uprates van rates by RPI, and the Treasury's rates annex puts this van rate at £375 for 2027 to 2028, from 1 April 2027. For electric vans plated above 3,500kg, GOV.UK's exemptions page says that from 1 April 2025 only heavy goods vehicles that weigh over 3,500kg will still be exempt; THRIVE has not found a DVLA statement naming 3,501kg to 4,250kg vans specifically, so check the tax class on the V5C. The new pay-per-mile Electric Vehicle Excise Duty from 1 April 2028 applies to battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen vehicles "that are cars".

Capital allowances

For capital allowances a van is not a car, so a van your business buys can qualify for the £1 million annual investment allowance and, for a company buying new and unused, full expensing. The separate 100% first-year allowance for zero-emission goods vehicles applied only to vans bought before April 2025, so an electric van now gets the same allowances as a diesel one. New and unused equipment for electric vehicle charging points bought before April 2027 can still get 100% first-year allowances. From 1 January 2027 the main-rate first-year allowance rises from 40% to 50%, and from April 2027 the main writing-down allowance falls from 14% to 12% (HMRC policy paper). A leased van is different: you cannot claim allowances on things you lease unless you have a hire purchase contract or long funding lease.

Is an electric van cheaper to run than a diesel?

On energy alone, usually yes; whether it is cheaper overall depends on mileage. THRIVE's electric van break-even page puts the fuel saving at 15.63p a mile this week, which repays an assumed £1,350 a year price premium over a diesel after about 8,637 miles a year. At 18,000 miles a year that is £2,813 a year saved on these assumptions.

Those assumptions are THRIVE's analysis, and the page shows them: the premium is the median list-price gap between six medium electric panel vans and their diesel versions, less the £5,000 grant, spread over four years; electricity is priced at HMRC's company-car advisory rates, mostly home charging, because there is no official van rate. The break-even page uses a different charging mix from the fleet charging table above, so the two do not match exactly. It covers energy against purchase price only. Servicing, tyres, insurance, residual value and the cost of chargers are not in it, and residual values are where the industry is most cautious: the BVRLA's April 2026 Leasing Outlook calls the outlook for used electric van values "extremely pessimistic". That is an industry view, not an official forecast.

For running cost in context, THRIVE's Fleet Cost Index tracks diesel and electric pence a mile each week, and the most economical diesel vans article gives the diesel side of the comparison.

Buying routes: contract hire, finance lease or outright purchase

This section describes three ways to fund a van; which suits you depends on your tax position, cash and appetite for resale risk, and is a question for your accountant and funder.

Route	What you pay for	Can your business claim capital allowances?	At the end
Contract hire	Use of the van for a fixed monthly rental	No, it is leased	The van goes back, checked against a fair wear and tear standard
Finance lease	Use of the van, on the terms of the lease	Only if it is a long funding lease	Set by the contract
Hire purchase or outright purchase	The van itself	Yes	You keep or sell the van

Contract hire is a fixed monthly payment for use of the van, which goes back at the end with no option to buy. The BVRLA's leasing guidance says rentals are based on an expected mileage, with charges for excess mileage, and that returned vehicles are inspected and charged for damage outside the agreed fair wear and tear standard; maintenance can be added for a fixed monthly cost.

Finance lease terms vary between funders, including what happens to the van and its value at the end, so read the contract rather than the product name. Hire purchase and outright purchase make the van your business's asset, and its resale value your risk; under hire purchase, GOV.UK says you can claim for all the payments you will make under the contract once you start using the van. THRIVE does not advise on which route to choose. The rates that feed into the sums, including the van grant, are on one sheet in THRIVE's Fleet Rate Card.

A decision checklist

1. Duty cycle written down: longest regular day in miles, overnight location, heaviest load in kg, trailer weight.
2. Range with a margin: official range comfortably above the longest regular day, then tested loaded on a real route, in cold weather if possible.
3. Payload checked for the exact version: body, roof, trim and options, against the weighed load, not the brochure maximum.
4. Weight rating and licences: if the van is plated at 4,250kg, drivers have a full category B licence, any trailer keeps the combination within 7,000kg, and you know the derogation is lost if the combination exceeds 4.25 tonnes.
5. Charging plan for each van: depot, home or public, with the cost per mile from the charging table and a reimbursement policy for home charging.
6. Depot power: the peak load if every van charges at once, a smart charging plan, and whether a Depot Charging Scheme application fits the current window.
7. Grant confirmed: the exact version is on the GOV.UK eligible list and the van registers while the grant is available.
8. Tax position: van benefit at £0 for a zero emission van, vehicle tax class confirmed, and capital allowances depending on how you fund it.
9. Whole-life cost: the break-even mileage set against your real annual miles, plus servicing, tyres, insurance and residual value quotes.
10. Funding route chosen with your accountant: contract hire, finance lease, hire purchase or purchase.

About this guide

This guide was researched from GOV.UK, HMRC, DVSA, legislation.gov.uk and manufacturer pages, each read on 12 November 2026 and linked where it is used. The van counts, ranges, payloads, charging speeds and towing figures were read in code from THRIVE's van database on 12 November 2026; every figure there is the manufacturer's, with a source recorded for it. The charging and break-even figures come from THRIVE's own data pages, which show their methods; they are THRIVE's analysis, not official statistics. Industry views are labelled as such.

It does not cover Northern Ireland, which has its own licensing law, electric pickups, vans over 4,250kg, or VAT in detail. It is not financial or tax advice. It will be reviewed when HMRC next reviews its advisory electric rates on 1 December 2026, when the grant levels or end date are announced, and when the capital allowance changes take effect in January and April 2027, and its van figures are refreshed from the database whenever it is rebuilt.