New Vauxhall Vivaro Electric review

Despite its French design and the closure of the Luton factory, the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric is still regarded as the UK’s only homegrown medium-sized electric van.

It is – as we probably don't really need to explain – the all-electric version of the Vauxhall Vivaro, which has been a favourite of small businesses for decades.

As part of the Stellantis family, the Vivaro Electric shares its platform with a few other models, including the Citroën ë-Dispatch, the Fiat e-Scudo, the Peugeot e-Expert and (due to a licensing agreement) the Toyota Proace Electric.

Stellantis was quicker to market with electric vans than mainstream competitors, so the Vivaro Electric is well-established, with multiple van awards to its name. To keep it fresh, Vauxhall has made some subtle upgrades, adding a new "vizor" grille, bumper and LED headlight combo. Plus, the battery and motor have been improved.

Its sleek, ultra-modern styling makes it arguably the most eye-catching of all the updated Stellantis vans, but style won’t be enough to beat competitors including the Ford E-Transit Custom, Maxus eDeliver 7, Renault Trafic E-Tech and Volkswagen e-Transporter. Can the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric keep up? Let’s find out...

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A headline figure of 134bhp might not sound too exciting, and the reality is that you’ll find just 106bhp on offer when you get into the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric. That’s thanks to three driving modes that aim to improve range from the 75kWh battery pack (the previous 50kWh option has been dropped).

When you switch from the default Normal mode to Eco, power drops to just 79bhp and "unnecessary energy-consuming features" are switched off, which is tiresome but does stretch what’s available from the battery close to the official 219 miles range.

Flicking the drive selector to Power mode frees up all 134bhp and gives the van a 0-62mph acceleration time of 14.3 seconds – but at the cost of burning through electrons more quickly.

As with all electric vans, as soon as you put a load inside, on the roof or behind the van, switch on the heater or air-conditioning, drive in windy, wet weather, or the ambient temperature is cold, that available range will drop.

In mixed conditions with around 250kg of cargo, we averaged 2.4 miles per kWh, translating to a range of around 163 miles – respectable but not spectacular. The Ford E-Transit Custom officially manages 204 miles while the Maxus eDeliver 7 can theoretically hit 230 miles. The Renault Trafic E-Tech, meanwhile, lags behind at just 186 miles.

It’s unlikely that a driver will be disappointed with the performance of the Vivaro Electric under normal use. While the motor isn’t the most powerful on the market, it’s spritely enough, and the fact that maximum torque of 192lb-ft is provided from the get-go makes the van feel quick off the mark.

Handling, steering and ride – even unladen – are unremarkable but also drama-free, and the van feels safe and competent at all times. That’s no surprise: much of the basic chassis is shared with Vauxhall car models.

It’s not engaging enough to appeal to enthusiasts, but this is a working van not a sports car to be taken out on weekends. There's a "sporty" GS model but it doesn’t get any suspension or steering upgrades.

“Losing 25% of the official range with only 250kg on board isn’t great, but my heavy right foot might explain some of that.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

The Vauxhall Vivaro Electric’s cabin feels like the anti-Tardis: it’s smaller on the inside. With three occupants, it’s bordering on claustrophobic, and you’re left wondering how the likes of the Mercedes eVito can give such a roomy, airy feel when fundamentally, they’re similar-sized medium vans.

As with other Stellantis vans, the area of the dashboard that juts out in the centre – normally accommodating the gearstick but now hosting little more than a switch to choose between Drive and Reverse – gives the centre passenger very little knee room, adding to that cramped feel.

The Vivaro Electric's revised dash is modern enough in design, and the materials used in the cab look to be durable and up to the abuse a van interior is often subject to. However, the squared-off steering wheel and straight lines make it less welcoming than a Ford E-Transit Custom or Renault Trafic E-Tech.

Vauxhall hasn’t fixed the seating position yet. Many – including me – find the driving position awkward due to the offset seat, pedals and steering wheel. They don’t quite line up and, while it's not that noticeable on short journeys, it creates a twist in your body that results in aches and pains over long distances.

The digital driver's display gives critical information such as the range remaining, and also a guide as to how much power is being drawn at any one time or if the regenerative braking is returning energy to the battery pack. It’s not exactly the latest in modern design, but it works well enough and provides all you need to know.

To the left of the driver's display is a 10in infotainment touchscreen mounted centrally in the dashboard. It's standard across all three trim levels available, at least at the time of writing (Stellantis updates grades frequently).

“The GS spec adds some visual flair, but it’s still a plastic-covered workhorse inside, but does get heated seats — these should be standard on any electric van.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

Available in standard and XL lengths, the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric has a sliding side loading door 935mm wide on each side of the van and a twin rear door arrangement to access the load space.

Pro and GS models also get a flap in the bulkhead, extending the load area by almost 1.2m into the cab and allowing items as long as 3674mm or 4024mm long, depending on the body option.

At floor level, load lengths of 2512mm and 2862mm provide a load volume of 5.3 cubic metres and 6.1 cubic metres. That’s a little way behind most of its rivals, with the Ford E-Transit Custom offering 5.8 and 6.8m³ respectively. The Custom will be getting a high roof option at some point.

The Vivaro Electric is falling behind on payload limits too. At 1001kg across all the regular panel van models, it’s competitive, but the E-Transit Custom edges ahead by around 50kg, while the Renault Trafic E-Tech maxes out at an impressive 1222kg.

Every version will also tow a tonne, which is more than a Trafic E-Tech but a long way from the 2.3 tonnes you can pull behind an E-Transit Custom.

Despite its rivals pulling clear in many areas, the Vivaro Electric is still a capable load-lugger, and two Euro pallets will easily slide in the back, with the XL model able to take a third. The rear doors swing open to a full 180 degrees, making forklift loading straightforward.

“The low roof height means you can safely drive the Vivaro Electric into most multi-storey car parks or other low-height areas, making everyday use much easier.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

It’s likely that running costs for the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric will prove to be competitive, not only amongst its Stellantis siblings but also against the Ford E-Transit Custom, Maxus eDeliver 7 and Renault Trafic E-Tech. Purchase prices are in the same ballpark as most of its medium-sized electric van rivals, with little more than a few percentage points between them all.

Servicing, after an initial 12-month inspection, is every two years or 25,000 miles, and the van has a three-year or 100,000-mile warranty, which includes roadside assistance. Again, that’s about the same as you’ll get from most rivals, except Ford – the E-Transit Custom gets a rather less confidence-inspiring 60,000-mile warranty package.

Vauxhall includes a 7.4kW onboard charger as standard, which is fine for most home EV chargers but less suited to commercial depots equipped with faster 11kW wall boxes.

If you want to take advantage of faster chargers, you’ll need to specify the optional 11kW onboard charger when ordering your Vivaro Electric. Even with the standard set-up, an empty-to-full charge takes around 11.5 hours, making overnight charging perfectly feasible for most users.

Vauxhall says it’ll go from 5% to 80% charge in 45 minutes using a rapid charger. An E-Transit Custom has a maximum charging speed of 125kW, getting you back on the road more quickly, but the Trafic E-Tech retains a painfully slow 50kW limit, leaving you plugged in for twice as long as a Vivaro.

Entry-level Prime trim gets air-conditioning, cruise control, rear parking sensors and a 10in infotainment touchscreen.

The Pro trim level upgrades the multimedia screen to include a sat-nav app, and the passenger seat gains a fold-flat backrest to provide a working surface and load-through slot underneath to extend storage. Dynamic Surround View is a package of audio and visual aids, and the van exterior is enhanced with some body-coloured parts. An alarm is also included.

The range-topping GS model adds some "sporty" stitching to the head restraints, as well as dual-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charging, and keyless entry and start, alongside a heated leather steering wheel and heated driver’s seat.

As is often the case, the mid-range Pro trim strikes a fine balance between cost and equipment, and unless you need a back-to-basics fleet van, it’s our choice.

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