The Benefits and Drawbacks of Electric / Diesel/ Petrol Vans

Electric – diesel – petrol vans: Benefits and Drawbacks

If you’ve ever owned a van or driven one for work, you’ll know the vast majority on the road are diesel fuelled. Diesel vans are popular because they last considerably longer than petrol vans – often to the tune of 10 years.

The longevity of a diesel van is largely down to the way diesel lubricates the engine  – and the way diesels are manufactured to withstand much higher pressures. It’s estimated that around 97% of vans are powered by diesel in the UK.

Until recently, the only other option was a petrol-powered van – but they have failed to make any headway into this diesel-dominated van range.

Local used vehicle website:

https://www.vanstop.co.uk/. VANSTOP Burntwood has a large selection of stock and is highly recommended. Some vans available already have Highway Chapter 8 chevrons Including Flashing beacons Installed and Internal storage and racking fitted

Diesel: Benefits of a Diesel van

  • Diesel vans are well established, with many options available. While diesel has had a bad press in recent times, the newer 6D engines offer a quieter ride with superb fuel economy.
  • Better resale value, they keep their value well.
  • Additionally, they boast the largest payloads available and there is a much larger selection of vehicles to choose from
  • While these reasons make them a no-brainer for most commercial users, they are undeniably less environmentally friendly than some alternatives.
  • Some diesel vans are subject to fees in certain urban areas – such as ultra-low emission zones.(Congestion Charges).
  • The benefits of diesel vans are hard to ignore. Not only are they more fuel efficient than petrol vans, they also provide more torque (force for rotation) and are better suited to moving heavy loads and towing.
  • There is a wider choice of used vehicles on the market

Drawbacks:

  • There are issues with the dangerous gases that diesel engines emit, such as nitrogen dioxide (NOx).
  • Another issue lies with a small device that’s fitted to the exhaust of all modern diesel vans – a diesel particulate filter (DPF). This is a small device that sits in the tailpipe and prevents harmful diesel particles from being released into the atmosphere. Very similar to a Catalyst Converter in a petrol vehicle.
  • The costs to replace a van’s DPF can span from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds, which are very similar to a Catalyst Converter on a petrol vehicle.
  • They can also be a little nosier than the Petrol engine range of vehicles
  • Vehicle road tax to be paid
  • Vehicle servicing may be expensive

Petrol

Petrol-powered vans have failed to make serious inroads into the van market. Nevertheless there are some options still available.

Top-selling new petrol vans include Ford’s Fiesta van, Transit Courier Transit Connect,: the Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner and Vauxhall Combo (all based around the same platform). There’s also the VW Caddy van and the Fiat among others.

There are fewer petrol used vehicles on the market today, this is due to lack of demand.

Benefits: of a petrol van

  • Benefits of petrol vans include lower CO2 emissions, and no issues with suffering a blocked DPFs -. But there can be problems with the petrol Catalyst Converters.
  • Petrol-powered vehicles have come a long way over the past few years, with many getting closer to the torque and payload ratings of their diesel counterparts, which is good news for city-based drivers and those who don’t cover enough miles to justify a modern diesel.
  • There are some exclusions from some fee-paying congestion charge zones. (Brand new vehicles only)
  • Quieter engines noise compared to the Diesel engine range of vehicles

Drawbacks:

  • Petrol vans don’t have as much torque as a diesel, which means they can feel quite sluggish when fully laden. The running costs are also much higher and turbocharged petrol engines are known to struggle to get anywhere near their official fuel economy As a result, they are not the most cost-effective option.
  • For companies who cover short distances, they make a lot of financial sense with much lower running costs
  • Some manufacturers have offered petrol vans in the past but have withdrawn them due to lack of demand.
  • On the downside, they don’t hold their value well, partly because fewer people want them.
  • Poorer fuel economy compared to the Diesel vehicles
  • Vehicle road tax to be paid
  • Servicing of the vehicle may be expensive

Electric:

Benefits : of an electric van

  • The key advantage of electric vans is the fact they offer zero emissions and therefore benefit from no congestion charges within ultra-low emission congestion zones.
  • Some vehicle battery packs in some vehicles protrude into the storage rear area reducing the load area of the vehicle, but clever redesigns mean this maybe no longer be the case of some new type of Electric vehicles
  • Electric Vehicles are quieter – meaning a more pleasant experience for drivers and the general public.
  • No vehicle road tax

Drawbacks:

  • One of the drawbacks of buying an electric van is the cost. Even a relatively small one can cost over £20,000.
  • Obviously, electric vans are not for everyone. Most vehicles have a range of around 80 miles on a full charge and this is very dependent on the weight in the back and how the vehicle is driven. However, if your daily mileage is less than 80 miles, an electric vehicle could make a lot of sense when it comes to choosing a cost-effective vehicle.
  • Choice is somewhat limited, but manufacturers are planning a number of new models in the coming years
  • Additionally, early types of electric vehicles may find their chosen electric van has become obsolete as newer models with better range and faster charging batteries become available.
  • Electric vans are a relatively a new option, BUT battery longevity is something of an unknown. Rumours are that replacement batteries are very expensive.
  • The biggest hurdle for electric vans is their cost: they are expensive – and they DO-NOT hold their resale value, due to the unknown factors as above.
  • Installation cost of the recharging station
  • The location of the recharging station and the length of charging cable to reach the vehicle from the recharging station
  • Downtime of the vehicle due to the recharging process of the vehicle
  • Servicing costs of the vehicle may be expensive due to the electrical components