Vauxhall launches brand new electric Vivaro-e van

First details and pictures of the new Vauxhall Vivaro-e have been released on what should have been the first day of the Commercial Vehicle Show.

The fully electric Vivaro-e is the first model from Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen to be electrified and will be built on the same production line in Luton as the regular diesel van.

Power comes from a 100kW (135hp) motor producing 260Nm of torque.

Vauxhall will offer two different battery sizes with a 75kWh pack said to be good for up to 205 miles on a WLTP test cycle or a 50kWh battery version that has a claimed range of 143 miles.

The larger battery has 27 modules, while the smaller battery option has 18 modules both of which are cooled by the cab’s cooling system to increase range and lifetime. In order to achieve such high mileage claims, speed is limited to 81mph.

Load volume remains the same as the standard Vauxhall Vivaro dimensions at up to 6.6 cu m as the batteries are located within the floor of the van. Payload, however, is only 130kg less than a diesel Vivaro, with a 1,226kg maximum capacity, while it is also (currently) the only electric vehicle of this size that can pull a trailer of up to 1 tonne.

Vauxhall has also launched its VauxhallConnect e-remote control to allow users to control certain function on the van from their smartphones. Battery status, charging times and pre-programming the air conditioning are all possible.

The Vauxhall Vivaro-e will also come with a wide range of assistance systems found on the conventional diesel-powered Vivaro. These include the option of a Head Up Display, Lane Keep Assist, Extended Traffic Sign Recognition, Drowsiness Alert, Semi-adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Alert and Automatic Emergency Braking.

Orders for the new Vauxhall Vivaro-e electric van will start in June, with deliveries expected in the autumn. Other electrified versions from the Stellantis range will include the Citroen e-Dispatch, Fiat E-Scudo and Peugeot e-Expert. Stellantis also produce the Toyota Proace and Toyota Proace Electric in the same plant.