Vauxhall Vivaro-e Review

Practicality and Boot Space 

The electric Vivaro has exactly the same load volume as the diesel-engined versions, and there’s a variety of different options to tailor the business end of the van to suit your, er, business. It’s currently available with two different lengths – called L1 and L2, with a payload of between 987 and 1226kg depending on the battery. You can even have a ‘crew van’ with five (six at a push) seats, but watch out for any tax implications with passenger versions as they will be cheaper on benefit in kind but might not be eligible for van purchase grants as they could be classed as a car.  

Load volume is 5.2 m3 for the L1 version and up to 6 m3 for the longer wheelbase model. For comparison, a Transit Custom PHEV offers 6m3 and a LEVC VN5 is 5.5 m3. Uniquely for an all-electric van, the Vivaro-e is capable of towing a trailer of up to one tonne too – although this is less than the diesel version and we wouldn’t suggest it’s something you’d want to do regularly or it will kill the range.

Technology

The level of tech fitted to the Vivaro might come as a surprise to anyone used to stripped out commercial vehicles. Even the cheapest model has a trip computer, cruise control, connected app, 7-inch colour touchscreen, DAB radio and rear parking sensors. 

Upgrade to the Elite model and it all starts sounding quite posh, with a rear view camera, navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and even a head-up display. This shows the speed projected onto the base of the windscreen. The van will even read speed limit signs as you pass them and show them too – useful if you are a professional driver and need to keep your licence clean.

Safety

The independent crash test boffins at Euro NCAP don’t tend to do vans, so haven’t smashed up the latest Vivaro in the name of science. There is a passenger version of it though (and the sister vehicles from Citroen and Peugeot) so it might still happen. We’ll update this if it does meet the wall of doom. 

Before then, we’ll just have to rely on the list of standard safety kit to suggest that the Vivaro will keep you out of trouble. Plump for the Elite version (which we’d recommend) and you’ll be treated to speed sign recognition, blind spot alert and Forward Collision Alert. This uses radar to reduces the car’s speed to avoid collisions with vehicles, pedestrians, bikes and motorbikes and is pretty much essential in the van, as visibility isn’t great and the mirrors are on the small side.