CV NEWS: FIAT PROFESSIONAL e-DUCATO
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Real-world savings highlight e-Ducato’s appeal to fleets May saw the first deliveries of the 100% electric Fiat e-Ducato. Priced from £47,675 excluding VAT (after the Government PiVG), the e-Ducato lets customers receive all the benefits of having zero tailpipe emissions with the versatility of a large LCV. Kickstarting the Fiat brand’s foray into 100 percent electric vehicles, the e-Ducato large LCV has a range of between 113 and 230 miles (WLTP City), depending on the variant. It is congestion charge and ULEZ-exempt, making it the perfect tool for businesses in both urban and suburban environments. e-Ducato provides a choice between two battery sizes – 47kWh or 79kWh. The 47kWh battery, alongside a 90kW motor, provides a range of up to 146 miles (WLTP City), a maximum power of 90kW (equivalent to 122hp) and maximum torque of 280Nm at 12,000rpm. e-Ducato reaches a top speed of 62mph and takes under six seconds to go from zero to 30mph. Its impressive charging time of zero to fully charged, takes just two hours and 25 minutes, enabling businesses to recharge and get back on the road in the quickest time possible. The 47kWh battery is available with AC or DC charging capability. The 79kWh battery is fused to the same 90kW motor and receives the same power and torque outputs as the 47kWh battery, however provides a longer range of up to 230 miles (WLTP City). e-Ducato with the 79kWh battery takes just 4 hours to charge from zero to 100 per cent and is also available with AC or DC charging capability. These figures still do not impede on the versatility of e-Ducato – it delivers a best-inclass payload of up to 1,885kg and maintains the same best-in-class volumes as ICE Ducato of between 10m3 and 17m3. Range is maximised through the e-Ducato regenerative braking system, with the van storing energy as it is driven downhill. This ensures range isn’t wasted and is stored for when needed most. The e-Ducato also provides the driver with three driving mode options: Normal, which gives optimal balance between performance and economy; Eco for an increase in the available range by managing acceleration response in order to reduce energy consumption and deactivation of air conditioning; and Power mode for facing full-load missions. A fourth, ‘Turtle mode’, is activated when battery power reaches near-to zero per cent. The vehicle alerts the user and activates a specific driving mode with strongly reduced performance to extend the remaining range. e-Ducato is available in two trim levels – standard and eTecnico – and three main 42 | June 2021 | Company Car & Van
configurations, with a goods van, chassis cab and passenger van. The goods van is available in three heights (H1 2309mm, H2 2579mm, H3 2814mm); three lengths (L2 5413mm, L3 5998mm, L4 6363mm) and three wheelbase sizes (L2 3450mm, L3 4035mm, L4 4035XLmm). The chassis cab is offered with a choice of three lengths (L2 5358mm, L3 5708mm, L4 5943mm) and four wheelbases (L2 3450mm, L2.5 3800mm, L3 4035mm, L4 4035XLmm), while the passenger version can be ordered with seating for between five and nine passengers. Every configuration is available with the choice of either the 47kWh or 79kWh battery. Standard trim level provides 5-inch touchscreen with DAB Radio and Bluetooth®, automatic climate control, tablet holder, USB charging port, fixed full width steel bulkhead, electric heated mirrors, convertors plug, LED lighting in load area, twin leaf rear suspension, lane departure warning system, advanced emergency braking, Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), High Beam Recognition (HBR), Rain & Dusk Sensors (RDS), Electronic stability control (ESC) and driver’s air bag. Exclusively for e-Ducato, there is also both
7kW (with 47kWh) and 11kW (with 79kWh) on-board chargers with charging cable. Over and above this specification, eTecnico receives seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and SatNav, rear parking camera with reverse parking sensors, blind spot and rear cross path detection, embroidered headrests, front fog lights, heated electrically folding door mirrors, LED daytime running lights, leather steering wheel and chrome air vent surrounds. Every e-Ducato receives a 12 month subscription to Mopar Connect. This smartphone application provides help 24 hours a day via its crash assistance service, to identify the impact and send the GPS position of e-Ducato to its operations centre. Special attention has been paid to Total Cost of Ownership: with lower running costs and purchase incentives, it substantially achieves parity compared with a Ducato with an internal combustion engine. The e-Ducato offers realworld fuel savings of approximately £13,000 to a comparable diesel version running 95,000 miles, while servicing costs are over 40 per cent lower than a similarly sized diesel commercial vehicle.
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