The advantages of electric vans are several. The climate rebate from ENOVA's Zero Emission Fund is a cash subsidy of up to 50,000 kroner if you buy an electric van in business. You save on tolls. In Oslo, you can park for free on streets with resident parking. Not only do you save money – you don't have to argue with overzealous representatives from the Urban Environment Agency when things need to be picked up or delivered.
Not just a niche
Electric vans have long been niche vehicles for local driving in the largest cities. Now the demand has increased, without the big car brands being able to offer cars of sufficient size and range. This has made room for new car brands from China that have gained a good foothold. The new Toyota Proace Electric will therefore face competitors called BYD T3 50 kwh and Maxus e-Delivery 3 52,5 kwh, as well as the slightly smaller box van Nissan e-NV200 40 kwh.
A nice day
I smile when I think of the song "En fin dag" by Prima Vera. Of all the days in April, I had chosen a day with something resembling a blizzard! But it was actually quite alright to work and cruise around with a Proace Electric - even on a day like this. And if you are in a good mood yourself, you only meet nice people. I don't just want to highlight the well-being factor, but also the environmental factor. Whether you like it or not, Oslo is currently undergoing a small environmental revolution. What fits better then "our" electric van with an advertisement for Hertz Bilpool on the side. The car-sharing company has placed a couple of brand new Toyota Proace Electrics in Oslo - in addition to all its regular Proaces.
French and a little Belgian?
The Proace is, as most people know, not a pure Toyota product. It is identical to the Citroen Jumpy, Peugeot Expert and Opel Vivaro. Only the front grille and logo are different. The Proace is produced at the Fiat factory Sevel in France, just above the border with Belgium. The Toyota's VIN number, strangely enough, states Belgium as the country of manufacture. The collaboration with PSA means that the Proace Electric shares its battery pack and engine with models such as the Citroen ë-C4. Peugeot e-208, e-2008, Opel Corsa-e and the new Mokka-e. This powertrain is set to become a big seller in Europe.
Powers and reach
In the small Peugeot 208, you can get a range of up to 340 km on mixed driving according to WLTP. In the much larger Toyota Proace Electric, the corresponding range is 219 km with the same battery pack. Although the range is far less than that of passenger cars, it is still on par with the competition. Even with a load of approximately 300 kg, 136 HP feels fully sufficient - at least as good as what the 2-litre diesel engine with 122 HP delivers. The electric motor has more horsepower, but lower torque than the diesel engine. The advantage of the electric version is that the torque is constant from the start.
Electric versus diesel
If you come from a Proace diesel to the Electric variant, there are no noticeable differences. The electric car's gear lever is shaped like a slide switch with a separate button for "P" and a separate button for more powerful recuperative braking. The car is not designed for so-called "one-pedal driving" but provides a weak - and just right - recovery of energy when you let off the gas. On the instrument panel you will also find an eco-meter instead of a tachometer and separate indicators for battery capacity and a separate eco-meter for the air conditioning. There you can see what effect air conditioning, heating, cooling, heating wires and fans have on battery consumption. This is useful if you need to extend your range.
Can create range anxiety
There are a couple of features of the Proace Electric that you should be aware of. Even if you have full control over the range, you can be intimidated by the instrument panel - especially the number indicating the remaining range. If you stand in a queue with the air conditioning on - or make a number of stops along the way, the calculated remaining kilometers can plummet because the computer thinks you should stand still with the air conditioning on for the rest of the day. Even if you have to take the number with a pinch of salt, it is probably not a bad idea to switch off "power thieves", especially in queues. Check the eco-meter for climate energy.
Real range
Real range was this time calculated under unfavorable conditions. In my own eyes, I am an "expert" in getting the most kilometers possible out of any car. But in cold, wet conditions with slush on the road in several places - as well as queuing and waiting, my calculated range ended up being 160 real kilometres. It is about the same as I got out of the Nissan e-NV200 with a 40 kwh battery in cold and winter conditions. The combination of motorways, heavy loads, trailers (up to 1000 kg) and winter can further reduce the range. Many will probably be best served by choosing a larger battery pack.
On the road
"Our" car was of the L1H1 type, which in van language means "medium length and height". The electric car weighs 232 kg more than the equivalent model with a 2-litre diesel engine. On the country road, the Proace Electric is stable and comfortable, even in the bends. On vertical bumps - bumps and dumps - the damping could have been better. I also noted that the steering was light - and required more travel on the steering wheel than I'm used to. Noise level and seating comfort were otherwise very good. With cup holders and a fold-down work table in the middle seat, the well-being factor is high.
Conclusion
It is no secret that the Toyota Proace is the same car as the vans from PSA (Peugeot, Citroen and Opel). The only differences are that they are manufactured at different factories and sold through different retail chains. The cars are so similar that you don't have to choose car brand. Find the best one the retailer!
We have borrowed the Toyota Proace several times in the past with diesel. Proace is a good choice regardless of whether you choose diesel or battery. Electric vehicles, however, offer so many advantages that it would be unwise to choose anything else - but choose as large a battery as possible. The battery pack of 50 kwh can be scarce in bad conditions. The Toyota Proace with 75 kwh will probably be a better choice for most people. It will also be better equipped to face the competition from new electric vans. The Ford e-Transit with a 76 kwh battery will come next year.
If you need a van, there is in any case no reason not to drive electric.
Facts Toyota Proace Electric 50 kwh
Weights and Measures
External dimensions - L, W, H: 496 x 192 x 190 cm
Wheelbase: 328 cm
Cargo space: 5,8 cubic metres
Net weight: 1874 kg (without driver)
Payload: 926 kg
Number of seats: 3
Max trailer weight w/brake: 1000 kg
- without brake: 750 kg
Drivetrain
Battery pack: 50 Kwh
Engine: Electric, located at the front
Power: 136 HP
Torque: 260 Nm
Gearbox: Stepless.
Front wheel drive.
Performances
Top speed: 130 km/h
0-100: 12,1 seconds
Range
WLTP: 219 km (combined)
Calculated based on our trips: 160 km
Cargo
Contacts: Type 2 and CSS
Tires
Dimensjon: 215/65R16 109/107R
Type: Spikeless winter
Brand: VanContact Viking
Price
L1H1 Comfort: NOK 404
ENOVA support: NOK 19
About the car
Place of manufacture: Valenciennes, France
Owner: Hertz Car pool
Rented via hertzbilpool.no
Model: 2021
Mileage: 217
Km driven: 64
Source: Toyota.no
See
Length, width, height: 531 / 192 / 194 cm
