More than 70% of UK van drivers are concerned about being out of pocket if they move to electric vans, although many are still keen to make the switch.  

Despite some drivers having concerns, there is optimism around the future of electric vans too and recognition of their positive impacts fo rsustainability

That’s according to the latest Go Electric report from Ford, which also uncovered some other misconceptions, including range anxiety, but found that six in 10 drivers still plan to make the switch to eLCVs within the next six months.  

The new report saw 500 van drivers in the UK surveyed and found considerable gaps in their knowledge of electric vans and the benefits to their businesses, leading to barriers preventing full electric adoption.   

Being out of pocket and losing time were two of the biggest concerns. Alongside the 71% who were unsure they’d get reimbursed for electricity costs if they charged their company vehicle at home, almost half (44%) of those surveyed were concerned they wouldn’t be able to fit charging time into their working schedule. This may stem from a lack of charging options available, with only 20% of respondents saying there are always charging points available at work, and over half (52%) saying they don’t have access at home. On top of this, only 42% of van drivers said they knew how to charge an electric vehicle.  

Range anxiety was another major concern, with the average range of an electric van thought to be under 70 miles; some three times less than the actual range of Ford’s new E-Transit, which has up to 196 miles on the WLTP cycle. 

But alongside concerns, there was optimism around the future of electric vans too, with almost half (49%) believing electric vans will be the most common type of van on Britain’s roads within the next 10 years – only 9% disagreed.  

And more than a third (36%) said they or their employer plan on switching to electric vans within the next four to six months and nearly two-fifths (38%) said they thought it was a smart investment. 

The research goes live as a fleet of electric two-tonne Transit vans from Ford begin to hit the roads this summer, while the recently revealed one-tonne E-Transit Custom arrives next year. Ford’s plans to have a five-strong electric van line-up by 2024 will also include an electric version of the Transit Courier van, as well as Tourneo Custom and Tourneo Courier models. 

The new vans come under the Ford Pro business, which launched last year to provide fleets and businesses with an integrated CV offering of vehicles, software and connected services, helping them improve productivity and uptime and lower costs.   

Mandy Dean, commercial vehicle director, Ford of Britain, said: “Our research report shows while there are concerns about the switch, van drivers seem willing to embark on the journey to go green and Ford Pro has the capabilities to make the switch easier. 

“With concerns around being out pocket a key worry for drivers, we’ve introduced simplified billing and administration via Ford Pro Charging software which means that fleet drivers can charge at home and the energy cost will be exactly calculated and sent to their business for your reimbursement.”  

Ford Pro is offering a new host of new features to help support van drivers. These include Ford Pro Intelligence digital services to unlock data and real-time visibility on all fleet vehicles, assistance with charging infrastructure and the Ford telematics tools to keep an eye on range, nearest charge points and any required maintenance on an individual vehicle. Fleets will also be able to access the ‘Blue Oval’ charging network to simplify charging access and reimbursement.