The What Van? Road Test: Peugeot e-Partner (2021)

Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Rear 3:4

Operating

Service intervals are set at two years/25,000 miles and e-Partner comes with a three-year/100,000-mile warranty. The battery is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty which guarantees that it will retain up to 70% of its original charging capacity during the warranty period.

Connect your van to a single-phase 32amp/7.4kW wallbox and it will take seven-and-a-half hours to boost the charge from 0% to 100%, says Peugeot. A Mode 3 Type 2 charging cable for use in conjunction with a wallbox is provided.

Use a three-phase 16amp/11kW wallbox instead and you can achieve the same goal in no more than five hours, it contends.

If you have access to a 100kW rapid DC charger however then you can take your battery from 0% to 80% of its capacity in a brisk 30 minutes, it adds.

Side rubbing strips should prevent minor damage to a van that is likely to be at its happiest in a busy urban environment. Hopefully our demonstrator’s grey metallic paint will remain unscathed.

Our e-Partner came with a spare wheel; an extra-cost option. An inflator/sealer weighs less, but is of limited use if a tyre is severely damaged.

Peugeot e-Partner Professional Premium + L2 50kWh

Price (ex VAT) £31,940**

Price range (ex VAT) £31,085–£33,540**

Gross payload 751kg

Load length 2,167mm

Load width (min/max) 1,299mm/1,550mm

Load bay height 1,243mm

Load volume 3.8m³

Loading height 548mm

Rear door aperture 1241mm x 1196mm

Side door aperture 675mm x 1072mm

Gross vehicle weight 2400kg

Braked trailer towing weight 750kg

Residual value 33.2%

Cost per mile 47.0p

Engine size/power 100kW (136hp) electric motor

Torque 260Nm

Gearbox 1sp

Range 171 miles (WLTP)

Battery 50kWh

Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls (battery 8yrs/100,000mls)

Service intervals 2yrs/25,000mls

Insurance group 34E

Price as tested £33,095

*After 48 months/20,000mls p.a – source – KWIKcarcost

**Basic price before government Plug-in Van Grant

Options

Metallic paint £400

Reversing sensors £200

Multi-Flex £450

Full-size spare £105

Rivals

Maxus eDeliver 3

Price (ex VAT) from £34,000**

Load volume 4.8m³

Gross payload 865–905kg

Engines 90kW

Verdict: A bit bigger than e-Partner, and on offer with two different battery packs, eDeliver 3 is marketed as a chassis cab as well as in van guise. Certainly worth a look if you need a bit more space than the e-Partner can offer, and the range predictions made by the manufacturer (of over 200 miles depending on the version you choose) seem to
be accurate.

Renault Kangoo Van E-Tech

Price (ex VAT) £30,600–£33,100**

Load volume 3.3–4.2m³

Gross payload 608–764kg

Engines 90kW

Verdict: Revamped under the E-Tech banner, the electric Kangoo boasts many of the improvements made to conventionally-powered versions of this revivified Renault. It also offers more power, more battery capacity, and a better range between recharges than its predecessor. The changes have undoubtedly made it more pleasant to drive, with performance and handling both elevated to an impressive standard.

Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo

Price (ex VAT) £38,125–£42,375**

Load volume 3.9m³

Gross payload 650kg

Engines 152kW

Verdict: With retro styling that makes it stand out in the High Street, the attractive-looking ID. Buzz Cargo delivers outstanding levels of performance, ride quality and agility. Noise is not an issue, and the predicted range of up to 258 miles (if fulfilled) can only add to the van’s appeal, but payload capacity is modest; unlike the steep price-tag.

The Final Verdict

Design 8/10 – Mostly sensible, should appeal to those that want green last-mile deliveries in cities

Cabin 5/10 – Why cram three seats into a cabin that is only wide enough for two occupants?

Ride 8/10 – Smooth thanks to a suspension system that seems able to handle Britains roads

Refinement 7/10 – Good, but silent engine highlights other noises. Cabin needs better sound insulation

Load area 8/10 – Easy to access from three sides. Cargo area needs timbering out though

Handling/performance 7/10 – Nips through bends quickly, but the harder you accelerate, the faster the battery goes

Engine/transmission 7/10 – A competent package, though make use of the regeneration to maximise range

Standard equipment 7/10 – Bulk of what you need is present, but some optional aspects should be standard

Operating costs 8/10 – Front-end price is steep, but running expenditure is competitive even with price rise

What Van? subjective rating 8/10 – Should appeal to those that want zero-emission deliveries in urban areas

Overall Rating = 73/100

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