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The What Van? Road Test: Renault Kangoo E-Tech (2022)
Date: Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Operating
Service intervals are set at one year/12,000 miles for the first year, then every two years/24,000 miles thereafter.
Kangoo E-Tech is protected by a three-year/100,000-mile warranty, with the battery covered for eight years/100,000 miles. The anti-corrosion warranty runs for 12 years while the paintwork warranty lasts for three years.
Charging times range from less than seven hours if you hook your van up to a wallbox, says Renault, to 42 minutes – which will get you to 80% of the battery’s capacity – with a 75kW DC rapid charger. You may be able to use the MyRenault app to schedule charging or switch on the air-conditioning or the cab heater remotely using your smartphone.
Rather than a spare wheel, you get a tyre inflator/sealer that sits under the passenger seat. As with the plastic bulkhead, the aim presumably is to save weight.
There are no side rubbing strips to protect the body from minor scrapes; an unfortunate omission.
Renault Kangoo ML19 E-Tech Advance
Price (ex VAT) £32,350**
Price range (ex VAT) £31,350–33,850**
Gross payload 608kg
Load length 1806mm
Load width (min/max) 1248mm/1570mm
Load bay height 1215mm
Load volume 3.3m3
Loading height 635mm
Rear door aperture 1256mm x 1117mm
Side door aperture 736mm x 1054mm
Gross vehicle weight 2230kg
Braked trailer towing weight 750kg/1500kg
Residual value 29.4%*
Cost per mile 48.0p
Electric motor 90kW (120hp)
Torque 245Nm
Gearbox 1sp
Range (WLTP combined) 186 mls
Battery 45kWh
Warranty 3yrs/100,000 mls (battery 8yrs/100,000 mls)
Service intervals 2yrs/24,000 mls
Insurance group 34E
Price as tested £37,135
* After 48 months/20,000 mls p.a – source – KWIKcarcost
** Basic price before VAT, On The Road costs, and government Plug-in Van Grant
Options
Active Emergency Braking System £450
Adaptive Cruise Control £480
Advanced Lane Keep Assist £550
Blind Spot Intervention £350
Wooden load area floor and side panels £500
Heated leather-trimmed steering wheel £60
Rear parking camera £450
Rear view assist camera 5ins screen £800
Smartphone dock £20
Highway and Traffic Jam Assist £500
4.2ins colour driver info screen £75
Alloy wheels £400
Key card £150
Rivals
Maxus eDeliver 3
Price range (ex VAT) from £34,000
Load volume 4.8m3
Gross payload 865-905kg
Electric motor 90kW (120hp)
Verdict: Bigger than Kangoo E-Tech and sensibly offering customers the choice of two different battery packs; eDeliver 3 is shipped in as a chassis cab as well as in panel van guise. The 200-mile-plus range predictions made by the manufacturer seem to be accurate, and eDeliver 3 is certainly worth a second glance if you need more space and payload capacity than the Renault offers.
Peugeot e-Partner
Price range (ex VAT) £32,385–34,840
Load volume 3.3-3.8m3
Gross payload 751-803kg
Electric motor 100kW (134hp)
Verdict: A little behind some of its key competitors so far as range between recharges is concerned, it remains a sensible choice nevertheless, with a decent payload capacity and a good standard of ride and handling. Don’t forget that the same model is marketed by Citroën as the e-Berlingo, by Fiat Professional as the E-Doblo, by Vauxhall as the Combo-e and by Toyota as the Proace City Electric.
Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo
Price range (ex VAT) £39,625–43,875
Load volume 3.9m3
Gross payload 592-607kg
Electric motor 150kW (201hp)
Verdict: Looks like nothing else on the highway and will certainly ensure your business stands out from the pack. Plenty of power and a claimed 250-mile-plus range, but the front-end price is steep, and payload capacity is modest. Great stress is laid on built-in safety though, which we can only applaud. No long-wheelbase version is available, and none on the horizon, alas.
The Final Verdict
Design 8/10 – More evolution than revolution, with its attractively-styled exterior and stylish interior
Cabin 7/10 – Pleasant with some useful features, but why pretend it’s a three-seater when it isn’t?
Ride 7/10 – Uneven when lightly-laden but gets smoother the more weight you load on board
Refinement 7/10 – Well put together, but wind and tyre noise are undoubtedly intrusive
Load area 7/10 – Decent level of access from three sides, but modest payload capacity.
Handling/performance 9/10 – Both are well up to scratch, with little to criticise
Engine/transmission 8/10 – A much-improved package, with more horses and a longer range
Standard equipment 6/10 – Too many safety-related items are extra-cost options. Time for a rethink Renault.
Operating costs 8/10 – Running expenses should be less than those of an equivalent diesel
What Van? subjective rating 8/10 – Represents solid progress rather than a great leap forward
Overall Rating = 75/100
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