What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

Light van sales are currently providing a snapshot of the unpredictability that has surfaced in the LCV sector.

Over the first eight months of the year vans weighing from 2.0 to 2.5 tonnes belonged to one of just two categories, the other being pick-ups, to register sales growth – up 11.4% to 34,830 units, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. In August alone, sales leapt 40% year-on-year to 3,049 units. These figures contrasted with 2016 when light van sales dipped 2.5% in an LCV market that grew by 1% overall.

The sector of the market covering medium and large vans (2.5 to 3.5 tonnes) was down by 4.0% in the year to the end of August, so perhaps there is an emerging tendency for some operators at least to consider downsizing if they can get away with tighter load dimensions and a reduced payload.

The UK’s most popular light van, the Ford Transit Connect, was the third biggest-selling model overall in July and August and the fifth in the year-to-date, where it was joined in the top 10 by two competitors: the Peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo.

Where the light van sector is really setting the pace is in alternative fuels – especially electric powertrains where the Renault Kangoo ZE and Nissan E-NV200 have for a long while led the way.

It’s Renault that is now looking to seize the initiative and move the technology on. In November its facelifted Kangoo ZE, called the ZE.33 after its new 33kW battery, will hit UK showrooms. Renault claims to have increased the plug-in van’s range by 50% to 124 miles under real-world conditions in summer with the new and improved battery and up to 99 miles in winter. The Kangoo ZE.33 will cost from £14,195 excluding VAT and after the 20% Plug-in-Van grant, but not including the battery lease, which adds from £49 a month. Full battery charging time has been reduced from eight to six hours, but rapid charging is not offered as the brand claims it reduces the lifespan of the battery. Renault adds, however, that a one-hour charge can top-up the range with an extra 22 miles.

At the end of the year the brand says it will launch a version of the Kangoo ZE Maxi with an expanded load volume of 6.0m³ to meet the growing demand for parcel delivery operations in cities.

Nissan, meanwhile, has recently supplied 10 of its E-NV200 vans to the Port of Southampton where they are being used by employees of Associated British Port. The organisation took on the electric models after Southampton was named as one of the UK cities required to establish Clean Air Zones by 2020. Earlier this year Nissan supplied 48 E-NV200 Combi vans to Portsmouth Naval Base.