The What Van? Road Test: Mercedes-Benz eVito (2022)

Date: Thursday, October 20, 2022

Rear 3:4

Operating

Mercedes provides a three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty plus an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery. Should there be a problem then help is at hand courtesy of MobiloVan, the Three Pointed Star’s free 24/7 roadside assistance scheme.

A 12-year anti-perforation corrosion warranty is provided as well.

Governed by time rather than mileage, servicing is annual. The aforementioned me app monitors the health of critical parts, and delivers real-time updates on any maintenance requirements that can be relayed remotely to the operator’s local Mercedes dealer.

Hopefully thieves will be frustrated by the standard deadlocks and scared away by the standard Thatcham Category 1 alarm.

Our Vito was finished in attractive-looking red metallic paint – an option – and it seemed a pity that there were no side rubbing strips to protect it against minor damage. Good to see a full-size spare wheel provided though.

Bear in mind that at the time of writing eVito was eligible for a government grant from the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles of up to £5,000 towards the purchase price.

Mercedes-Benz eVito Premium L2

Price (ex. VAT) £46,900

Price range (ex. VAT) £43,600–£46,900

Gross payload 749kg

Load length 2,461mm

Load width (min/max) 1,270mm/1,685mm

Load bay height 1,391mm

Load volume 6.0m³

Loading height 558mm

Rear door aperture 1,333mm x 1,270mm

Side door aperture 990mm x 1,346mm

Gross vehicle weight 3,200kg

Braked trailer towing weight N/A

Residual value 28.2%*

Cost per mile 70.6p

Engine size/power 85kW electric motor

Torque 300Nm

Gearbox 1sp

Warranty 3yrs/unltd mileage

Service intervals annual

Insurance group 39E

Price as tested £49,835

* after 48 months/20,000 miles p.a - source - KWIKcarcost

Options

Audio 40 navigation £400

Illuminated vanity mirrors for sun visors £100

Heated seat for co-driver £210

Lane Keeping Assist £455

LED front intelligent light system £1,770

Rivals

Ford E-Transit Custom

Price (ex VAT) TBA

Load volume 5.8-9.0m³

Gross payload 1,100kg

Electric motor 101kW, 162kW

Verdict: Normally we would not cite a model that is not yet available as a rival to an existing vehicle, but in this case it is justified given Ford Transit Custom’s staggering success in the UK market. E-Transit Custom won’t be on sale for another 12 months, but with a claimed range of up to 236 miles, it could be well worth the wait.

Vauxhall Vivaro-e

Price (ex VAT) £39,731-£43,381

Load volume 5.3-6.1m³

Gross payload 1,000-1,226kg

Electric motor 100kW

Verdict: A highly-successful model with a respectable range between recharges, Vivaro-e demonstrates that an electric van is a viable choice for a wide range of businesses. Bear in mind that Vauxhall is part of the Stellantis group, and that the same model is available with Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat Professional badges, and as a Toyota too thanks to a joint-venture agreement Stellantis has with the Japanese manufacturer.

Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo

Price (ex VAT) £38,125-£42,375

Load volume 3.9m³

Gross payload 650kg

Electric motor 152kW

Verdict: ID. Buzz Cargo is smaller than eVito, but looks set to have a big impact. We’ve driven it, and can report that when it comes to performance, ride quality and agility, VW’s newcomer is utterly outstanding. Claimed range is a creditable 258 miles, but while the cab is roomy and comfortable, the infotainment system is woefully confusing.

The Final Verdict

Design 8/10 – Plenty of clever features installed to maximise range, and they’re easy to use

Cabin 6/10 – Well-equipped, centre seating position constricted, plus the peculiar parking brake

Ride 7/10 – Suspension copes pretty well with Britain’s poor highway surfaces

Refinement 7/10 – Amazing build quality, but absence of diesel decibels highlight other noise sources

Load area 8/10 – Access from both sides and good rear, front-wheel drive means low loading height

Handling/performance 8/10 – Former is dependable though steering could be tighter. Latter depends on setting

Engine/transmission 8/10 – Electric motor and the single-speed transmission deliver the goods with little fuss

Standard equipment 9/10 – Premium trim with plenty of goodies, on-board safety focus should be praised

Operating costs 8/10 – Long battery warranty, good servicing on what should be a low-mileage vehicle

What Van? subjective rating 7/10 – Worthy of consideration but Vivaro-e and electric Transit Custom may have the edge

Overall rating = 76/100

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