Electric van choice is improving rapidly – fleets should reassess the market

Electric models dominate much of the shortlist for the 2027 International Van of the Year award, demonstrating how quickly zero-emission LCV choice is developing.

Finalists include the Farizon V7E, Hyundai Staria Electric and Renault Trafic E-Tech, alongside entries from Maxus, Stellantis and Volkswagen.

For fleets, the importance is not the award itself. It is the pace at which the available vehicle pool is changing.

An electric van rejected 12 months ago because of range, payload, charging performance or cost may no longer represent the best comparison.

Fleet managers should therefore refresh eLCV assessments regularly rather than carrying old assumptions into future replacement cycles.

That means comparing usable range with real routes, checking payload after equipment and passengers are included, and obtaining current lease rates rather than relying on historic pricing.

Growing competition should also strengthen pressure on manufacturers to improve specification, aftersales support and total cost.

The immediate action is simple: revisit vehicle categories previously considered unsuitable before automatically ordering another diesel replacement.

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