- New Vauxhall survey lifts lid on van driver habits
- Most take a morning break twice a week
- That break lasts 15-45 mins
- Perfect opportunity to recharge an electric van
- Lease the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric with Select
Charging an electric van might be easier than tradespeople think, according to a new Vauxhall study, with few drivers needing to do more than plug in while stopping for breakfast.
Vauxhall surveyed 1,000 UK home maintenance professionals and tradespeople, and found that drivers typically take a morning break twice a week before arriving at a customer’s home. Of those making a stop, around 60% said their break lasted 15–45 minutes, which gives a perfect opportunity to top up the battery at the same time.
Vauxhall says the average driver covers around 191 miles per week. Its Vivaro Electric van, with an official range of 219 miles, can charge from 5% to 80% in approximately 45 minutes using a 100kW rapid charger, which should cover the weekly mileage for many trades.
One of the most common concerns among drivers of diesel-powered vans when considering the move to fully electric is the time taken out of the working day to charge. Vauxhall hopes the findings will help ease those worries. Where van drivers have made the switch, around 73% of those surveyed are already using public rapid chargers at least twice a week.
The study also found that many vans are stationary for up to four hours a day while drivers are on-site or on a call. That opens up further opportunities to charge during the day, using either on-street chargers or even customer wallboxes.
Almost 70% of electric van drivers think customers would be happy to let them plug in and charge while doing a job, and 15% are already doing it on a regular basis. 75% of those surveyed said they would be happy to exchange charging time for a discounted rate, averaging a £24 reduction for customers.
Vauxhall has renewed its commitment to on-the-job charging for electric vans, with continued support for its Electric Streets campaign. The manufacturer, in collaboration with local authorities and infrastructure providers, is working to increase the number of residential on-street charging points. Recognising that many van drivers who are sole traders or small businesses may not have access to off-street charging, Vauxhall hopes that the initiative will help more drivers make the switch to electric vehicles.
While rapid charging while out and about is helpful, the majority of electric van drivers prefer to charge at home overnight, ensuring they have a full battery at the start of their working day. Through its partnership with Free2Move Charge (from Octopus Energy), Vauxhall is supporting home charging by offering a free EV wallbox (worth up to £1,050 including VAT) to sole traders and SMEs buying an electric van.
Steve Catlin, Vauxhall’s managing director, said the research was designed to demonstrate that EV vans can seamlessly integrate into existing work patterns without disruption.
“With most tradespeople covering less weekly mileage than the range of a Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, they can comfortably meet their charging needs — all without losing valuable working hours,” he said. “Our research demonstrates how electric vans can easily fit into tradespeople’s lifestyle, whether charging from home overnight, topping up from a rapid charger during a morning breakfast break, or charging while on the job.”
Vauxhall, one of the first brands to offer its entire van line-up with fully electric options, now has 17,000 examples on the road, surpassing any other UK manufacturer.
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