The typical tradesperson could get enough mileage for a week’s worth of work just by charging over their morning breakfast breaks.

Vauxhall, which offers fully electric versions of its entire van range, crunched the numbers from a survey of 1,000 van drivers who work as tradespeople or in home repairs and maintenance.

The study revealed that drivers will typically stop twice per week for a morning break or breakfast before reaching a customer’s house. Some 60% will stop for between 15 to 45 minutes for breakfast before starting on jobs – a Vauxhall Vivaro Electric can be charged from 5-80% in 45 minutes using a 100kW rapid charger.

The average tradesperson travels 191 miles for work over the space of a week – less than the 219-mile range (WLTP) of a Vivaro Electric.

Of the electric van drivers surveyed, almost three-quarters (73%) already stop at least twice per week to use public rapid chargers.

The survey participants, which included a variety of professions from builders to decorators and gardeners, also told Vauxhall that their vehicle is typically left stationary for up to four hours per day while they are at work. Those unable to reach a rapid charger would also be able to take advantage of their vehicle’s downtime, for example by utilising on-street chargers.

Vauxhall, through its Electric Streets campaign, is working with leading charge point operators to help accelerate the number of accessible residential on-street charge points, supporting businesses to go electric by helping van drivers to top-up, both when they are attending residential jobs and at home.

On average, tradespeople receive nine callouts or bookings per week which require them to visit a customer’s address. In total, 70% of electric van drivers said they think it is likely that customers would let them charge their electric van at their address while working, with 78% having done this on at least one occasion and 15% doing it often. Customers with a home wallbox stand to benefit from this arrangement, with three-quarters of van drivers saying they would be happy to offer an average discount of £24 for permission to charge their van at a customer’s address while they work.

Asked about their preferred charging solution, 61% said they would most like to charge their van overnight using a home wallbox. Vauxhall offers SME electric van customers a complimentary home charger and standard residential installation (up to the value of £875 exc. VAT / £1,050 inc. VAT) through Free2move Charge, provided by Octopus Energy.

Vauxhall said the research allays concerns that charging would take too long and eat into valuable working hours; one of the main reasons cited by 31% of petrol and diesel van drivers for not owning an electric van.

Steve Catlin, managing director at Vauxhall, 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. 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.”