Which hybrid van is most practical?

It seems as though the whole car world is going hybrid or electric but that’s a trend that almost seems to have escaped the world of vans. While electric vans are becoming more and more common especially in cities, diesel still makes up the vast majority of van sales thanks to its flexibility and relative cheapness.

Hybrid vans would seem like the ideal halfway house but they’ve so far proved unpopular. In fact, there are only three of them on sale today. Interested in trading in your van to buy one? Well, grab yourself an accurate price for your existing van using the Parkers car valuation tool, but first read on to make sure a hybrid van will actually suit your needs.

That doesn’t mean they’re bad vehicles, though. In fact, hybrid vans can be a really useful solution, especially for small operators. A conventional hybrid van gives you diesel-like fuel economy but with much more of an eco-friendly image, and with an automatic gearbox and smooth electrical assistance they’re very pleasant to drive in congested cities. 

With a conventional hybrid van, you don’t need to have a spot to charge them up every night either which can be difficult if you’re an individual operator or a city centre business that uses on-street parking.

Plug-in hybrid vans give you the best of both worlds, with the convenience, silence and eco-appeal of pure electric motoring some of the time, but with the freedom to go longer distances and step away from the plug if the need arises.

Below you’ll find a brief round-up of all the hybrid vans on sale in the UK today, with pros and cons.

Toyota Corolla Commercial

Pros:

Car-like driving dynamics
Impressive fuel economy
No need to plug in

Cons:
Negligible electric range
Not much interior storage
Can’t compete with a proper van for payload or load capacity

The Corolla Commercial is based on the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Estate car and as such isn’t really a proper van. But it’s still pretty practical for a small vehicle, with a maximum loading length of 1,558mm. The payload is only 425kg, though, which means this isn’t practical as a heavy lugger – best for small businesses that don’t carry heavy loads.

Driving it is similar to a conventional petrol automatic, though, and you don’t need to do anything to get the best from the powertrain – it will decide for itself when and where to use petrol and electric to achieve the best economy. If you’re careful, 60mpg is easily achievable, better than even the very best small diesel vans.

Ford Transit Custom PHEV

Pros:
Load area the same as a regular Transit
Not much more expensive either
Payload of over 1,200kg

Cons:
Limited electric driving range
Not eligible for Plug-in Van Grant
Engine is noisy

If you’re looking for the best hybrid van in which to carry stuff, the Ford Transit Custom PHEV is the van for you. Not only does it have a seriously impressive payload but the large load area is actually unchanged from the diesel van – which also means if you’re upgrading from a diesel model all of your existing racking and units will slot straight in.

The Transit can go up to 30.1 miles on a full charge of its battery, after which point a 1.0-litre petrol engine kicks in to top the batteries back up. You can manage this in a variety of ways if you need to, saving the charge for cities or using the engine to regain a full charge – but it’s a little raucous when the engine’s running.

LEVC VN5

Pros:
Long electric range
High-tech, comfortable cab
Amazing turning circle

Cons:

Expensive to buy
Limited load area
Only seats two

The LEVC VN5 might look very familiar especially if you live in London. That’s because it’s based on the same platform and powertrain as the latest London black cab, giving it an impressive 61 miles of electric range on a full charge. That’s enough to accomplish most average van driver’s routes without ever troubling the petrol engine.

The VN5 has a cab that uses Volvo tech, too – it’s part of the same manufacturing group – making it comfortable and high-tech with a touchscreen and digital instrument panel. But payload is only 830kg – much less than the Transit’s 1,200kg – and the load area is cramped in comparison.