Forum menu
I believe an electric F250 is imminent in the US and it will have a 300 mile range. That kind of format will be easily adapted for a van.
Can’t wait until it gets to Australia as. Ranger as it would be great to replace my current Ute.
So, which trail centres have a charging point then ?
In Scotland, Laggan has a pair of 7kw chargers. Glentress can be ridden from the Peebles Hydro, that has four 7kw. Rapids in peebles town. Innerleithen has a rapid in the carpark next to No1. Rapids and fast in Aberfeldy town centre, great for the 'Glassie Bike Park', Pitlochry can be ridden from the dam carpark, free 7kw chargers (fed direct off the hydro I like to think), Dunkeld has a rapid in the town carpark with another two on the way. Aviemore has rapids in town and a fast charger right at the bottom of Burnside trails. Comrie Croft has four fast chargers, charged off their own solar array and battery storage. In the deep south I know Cwmcarn trail centre has a bank of fast chargers (that I think are free). Callander has rapid chargers in the carpark, great for riding Ben Ledi and the local tech. For the rapids we put it on when we get back from riding, then get changed and pack the bikes up. If it needs longer go grab a coffee, same as we usually would anyway. If anything it's MORE of a faff having to go back to the van and move it before the 40mins is up. I prefer 7kw charger where we can leave it for the time we are riding, it's less demand on the grid and leaves the rapids free.
At first glance it looked good, then realised the quoted range was way off (you have to max it out with the optional battery packs and I think solar roof?) And it doesn't have any form of rapid charging. So you end up with a 100 mile range max and 7kw charging only. Looks fun though.
I saw a VW T4 in Fife with a green plate flash, not sure if it was a conversion or a joker.
Mercedes E-truck, a bit to big for normal STW style usages but interesting nonetheless.
Seeing lots of positive chat about the new e-Transit, (realistic) 170 mile range, cheaper than the Merc and a [I]lot[/I] more powerful than anything else currently (265 BHP!)
I think that range should be fine, even for biking/camping trips given that apparently if you can find a fast charger it'll do 15->80% in about half an hour. (Obviously not for all the heroes who routinely do 8+ hour drives in one sitting, but fine for me 😃)
Personally though don't want a van quite that big, so will keep an eye out for the e-Custom which is supposed to be going on sale this time next year (collab between Ford & VW) and should be even better, hopefully slightly bigger range too.
Our local Post Office Depot seemed to have switched to all electric vans - keep seeing them around town.
I'll just leave this here
@uponthedowns assuming I don’t want to waste half an hour on that, can you summarise it? 😀
https://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/f150-lightning/
563ps (420kW)
775lb ft (1,050Nm)
0-60 mid-4secStick that in the next production Transit Custom and I’ll be happy.
Review of a F150-Lightning in the UK. Not watched it yet myself - pick-ups don't work for my use, but as I've banged on before stick that sort of power unit/tech in a Transit Custom sized vehicle and yes please*
* subject to a lottery jackpot win
Ford have previewed the next-gen electric Transit Custom (that will also be the basis for the next Transporter)
https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/news/2023/new-ford-transit-custom/
236 miles, 125kW rapid charging, tows at least 1200kg. Neat folding steering column so it can become a table, and L-shaped bulkhead so you can have long things (like bikes) secure plus two rear seats.
that looks awesome, love the L bulkhead - best of both worlds! Range sounds v useful... any trip I do could be managed with only one stop (which I always do anyway!) Wonder what cost will be? (Hopefully a pleasant surprise!)https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/news/2023/new-ford-transit-custom/
Will be interesting as well to see what kind of spin VW put on their version.
One of my customers has the full-size E-transit, initially very pleased but it went straight to a coach-builders so I don't think they've actually driven it much yet!
https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/news/2023/new-ford-transit-custom/
/a>
It does indeed look like a good package. Currently 5 years with our Transit Custom, used as a family/biking vehicle not workhorse. Realistically 5+ years away from replacement, but this (or whatever replaces this) is interesting indeed.
It'd only be holidays where the range would be an issue - not uncommon for us to 'hotseat' back-to-back drivers with <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">short pee stops (e.g. 620 miles from Zeebruge to Bourg St Maurice in a day). We'd have to adapt to allow recharging but the alternative, i.e. more range between charges, would mean bigger battery and even heavier vehicle. A real-world 200-mile range would be more than adequate 95% of the time.</span>
Yeah I'd love that F150 powertrain but total overkill.
Wonder what cost will be? (Hopefully a pleasant surprise!)
Given the hybrid Custom was, IIRC about £45k I'd not hold out too much hope! 200 miles actual would do for me 100%. Anything over 100 miles each way is either an overnighter or a proper driving break which would allow for a reasonable fast charge. I'm hoping the incoming eConnect/Caddy will crack this, even though my diesel has a good few years in it yet.
We have just changed the lease terms on the 200+ EV vans we have at work from 4 years to 3 (they are all Vito and Sprinters) The reason for the change is that the lease company have massively down valued the residual value of the vans because they are concerned that battery life and the speed the technology is moving means they will be virtually worthless.
It will be interesting to see how reality compares with their theory in time but it I do think there are a lot of unresolved issues about the second hand market values when the technology and residual battery performance are factored in
no idea what other manufactures offer but Ford are warrantying the battery on the new e-Transit for 8 years or 100k which I thought was pretty good!because they are concerned that battery life
I see from the Ford website they're also launching an improved version of the PHEV Custom (which by all accounts was not too well received as it was very underpowered especially the 1-litre petrol generator). The new version has a 2.5L generator which should give it a lot more oomph! For my needs (sole work & personal vehicle) the 30-35 mile electric range would be fine for day-to-day use but obviously not longer journeys/biking/holidays etc. Can't help feeling though that hybrids are the worst of both worlds though, and a vehicle type that won't be around for very long! Minimal electric range and then relatively expensive petrol miles if you go beyond it. You've still got the servicing of an ICE to consider, and for vans at least there's no reduction in VED.
Thought some of you might be interested in our demo experience with the ID Buzz Cargo. Currently in a 75kwh E-Expert,for just under two years. WLTP 205 miles, struggling to get 120 to be honest at the moment. Seems like less because of how inaccurate the range calculator is. Loses 10 every time you turn it off, heater tanks power yet there are air gaps through to the cab etc. Had a few software bugs and now my partner isn't happy driving it out of range unless I am there, which pretty much means Dunkeld or Inners from south Fife. Wrote off the Buzz as too small but with the lease end approaching and no date on the E-Custom (2024 was all they could say) we got a full day demo in the cargo.
Handed over at 80% showing 169 miles. Over the day I drove 144 miles mix of motorway, dual and stop start. Including three stops where the van was turned off. Handed back at 10% showing 29 miles, so a few miles ahead of the quoted range. 2.9 m/kWh average showing. So 223 on a full charge theoretically. Started at -2 degrees and raising to 3-4. Heating on at 17 and using the heated seats a bit. Fairly impressed with that to be fair.
Did a size test in the back, it's a bit tighter and the sliding doors are smaller, but it works good. Two bikes, two paddle board bags, a bag of snowboards and some kit fits fine. Driving position is great and it handles lovely. But the main thing is that range is night and day, and the reliability of the calculations.
ID Buzz Cargo
I am expecting these to start appearing at trail centre car parks near you between the T4's and T5's... 😉
PHEV Custom (which by all accounts was not too well received
Or just misunderstood?
I thought of it as an electric vehicle for work persons who’s main scope of work is within a 50 mile radius. The electric side of things was there to be able to drive into cities with clean air schemes without penalty ( which are being rolled out more and more).
It’s not a vehicle for banging up and down the motorway
@revs1972 well... the electric range is 30 not 50, so for the return trip that means the radius is 15 miles out & back with no running around in between...Or just misunderstood?
I thought of it as an electric vehicle for work persons who’s main scope of work is within a 50 mile radius.
I work with a lot of companies & trades and the diesel Custom is extremely popular obviously but I don't know anyone who's got the PHEV version or even test-driven/seriously considered one!
It's difficult to imagine who'd actually benefit from it (maybe plumbers/sparkies etc who only worked extremely locally?) but then a) it's expensive to buy b) expensive to run when not on electric c) have to pay VED unlike full electric and even if it [I]did[/I] work out financially, d) woeful performance vs. Diesel engine.
In a way it would've been ideal for me as I live very close to my work but those things all put me off! Plus my gut feeling is that hybrid is the worst of all worlds as you still have to service an ICE (probably not such an issue if you lease rather then purchase outright though).
The coming one though does look a lot better (still have to pay VED though!) so will have a look at that when available. The latest/coming Ford/VW vans do seem a generation ahead of everything else currently available right now. Would love one but realistically just comes down to cost, with the way things are right now would need Ford/the Gov create some new incentives to stimulate uptake really as probably couldn't justify it otherwise.
What's the cost of the Buzz to lease?
I'd love one of them, but being sensible my current Connect is owned outright and has plenty of life left so they'd have to be fairly cheap, and I suspect that's not the case!
I looked at leases the other week on the Buzz Cargo - £7-8k deposit, 48mon, 15k/yr - just under £600/month.
Sadly, I'm out!
(my caddy, like your connect, is owned outright, and has life left, even though it's costing me loads to run annually now)
£7-8k deposit, 48mon, 15k/yr – just under £600/month.
Oof! I can't imagine spaffing that every month on a vehicle. Particularly one I'll never actually own.
having a play around on this, £500 to £600 a month depending on lease term. Oddly the longer leases cost more? Anticipating interest rates going mad? Thats all with 1 month upfront.
As always with leases, the leasee gets to pay full price for all optional extras, including paint that isnt plain white.
On the same site, ICE Vivaros, transits etc are pushing £500.
Oof! I can’t imagine spaffing that every month on a vehicle. Particularly one I’ll never actually own.
worth noting, I have no idea what PCP/PCH/PCwhatever etc are, so i could be very wrong on these things!
yeah, I've never bought a brand new vehicle due to cost, so realistically I'd be looking at a buying outright a 2-3 year old vehicle which was previously leased (unless they wanted to do me a mega-deal on a pre-registered new vehicle due to being in the grip of recession 🤔) so no point getting too excited at the moment really!worth noting, I have no idea what PCP/PCH/PCwhatever etc are
We've got one of the ID Buzz minivans at work at the moment.
Going to try and get hold of the keys later in the week for a poke around...
https://www.stablevehiclecontracts.co.uk/van-leasing/volkswagen/idbuzz/idbuzz-cargo
That was the cheapest I found when looking
Our expert is a lease, I didn't want to commit to buying something we hadn't tested, and the garage were very unresponsive. The Buzz we have put an order in to buy, hopefully if we get sick of the lack of space there will be a decent aftersales value. Anyone want to put their name down for a Buzz Cargo in blue with body coloured bumpers in four years? 😸👍
I believe an electric F250 is imminent in the US and it will have a 300 mile range. That kind of format will be easily adapted for a van.
A standard F250 is 2.6 -3 ton or more.
[I]Whats the word on the Vauxhall Combo-e.[/I]
I've got an L1 as a company van. Had it 4 months, I love it. Nicest van I've had in 20 years of mainly Transits and Vivaros. Quiet, nippy, some luxury stuff like air con and cruise control (a first for a base spec van)
Home charging, regularly do up to 80 miles a day and 50 miles left on the range (my employers 'realistic' range of 135 miles taking into account that our vans are permanent heavily laden (engineers van) and have ladder racks, tubes and beacons on the roof seems accurate). I don't have a ladder but do have the rack and typically get 2.5kw/mile but taking it easy on a motorway run at 56mph and switching between normal and eco depending on when I want a bit of heat will see 3.0kw/m which means I should be able to get 150 miles.
I've only fast charged it twice, the second day I had when I deliberately took it to a charger to check my company account was set up correctly, and a few days later when they sent me to a job 150 miles away where I found a 150KW charger.
Nice.
Just checking in to say I saw an iD.buzz the other day.
Saw a Mercedes EQV passenger van the other day, I didn't know they existed. 200 mile range, nice inside. But, as you might expect, ****ing expensive.
good for airport runs maybe! Yeah, the price for all (nice) electric vans is pretty crazy at the moment, only really makes sense I guess if you do mega miles & therefore have the chance of saving a fortune on diesel (which I don't!) Or regularly have to cross into some kind of ULEZ etc.Saw a Mercedes EQV passenger van the other day, I didn’t know they existed. 200 mile range, nice inside. But, as you might expect, **** expensive.
https://www.carscoops.com/2023/06/tesla-swapped-1974-ford-e-100-van-is-a-cool-electromod-sleeper/
bet it doesn't get the range but that thing looks ace.
Had our Buzz Cargo for a month or so now, it's a wee bit cramped for the bikes but you can still do two bikes and both get changed next to them, or two bikes, two paddle boards and a bunch of it. Or bikes for delivery. Or a lot of stock. Wouldn't have minded the non existent LWB though.
Really nice to drive, very pleased with it. Consumption from new is 3.5m/kWh over the 1250 miles we have done, mix of town but mostly A roads and motorway. That makes it 269 miles for a full charge in theory, but we haven't ever needed to do a full discharge. Most about between charges was 240 I think, with the remaining adding up to 270ish.
And with still no announcement about the e-custom, we would still be living with the Expert that I am glad to be shot of. After spending one of the last months of the lease off the road with an ABS sensor failure, the day after it was collected they all had a recall for the AC system causing the motor to shut down. Don't think I would ever buy something from that group again, it was gash.
Long live the Buzz.
I'd really like a Buzz Cargo, but without the benefit of a business paying for it they're a bit bloody expensive.
There is a Buzz that drives round by me... doesn't look very big. I'm not sure I'm seeing the appeal myself, however, I suspect they'll sell plenty.
It's a van, I'm not interested in an aspirational lifestyle chariot. I've got a Transit Connect L2 at the moment which is a perfect size for personal use.
Seen a few of the passenger buzzes buzzing around, but saw first buzz cargo OTR yesterday.
Poked around one a couple months ago at my local VW dealer, they were after 800 per month for one, even with a 9k deposit 😂
I'll keep buying lottery tickets.
Looking at going electric shortly, taking advantage of 100% refund against corporation tax, just a cheap Renault Kangoo but it it's perfect for our needs, short journeys with light bulky loads.
Nearly bought an e-Vivaro (got as far as ordering and was on the waiting list) but the price and range differential for a second hand (but nearly new) e-car turned our heads at the last minute. Part of our thinking is that if we find out a car really isn't big enough, we can swap for a van in a year or two by which time there'll be more of a second hand market for the latter (and/or perhaps better range too). So far I have to say the car seems the more sensible option for at least 95% of our use and I'm sure we can cope with the other 5% somehow like all other car drivers manage.
Saw a Vivaro e-life at a charging stop and it looked nice but only 140 miles and pricey.
Does the Kangoo support fast charging now? We had some at work and I think they'd only charge at 7kw so they were very unpopular if you needed to get near the limit of it's range.
I think the Expert shares the drivetrain with my ComboE. Had mine about 9 months and the other week it shuddered to a halt as I pulled out of a parking space with a traction fault. It cleared after disconnecting and reconnecting the 12v battery and waiting 30 minutes. It sounds like the AC compressor causing the motor to shut down, apparently it's just a software update.