Perfect Partner?

Steve Banner road-tests Peugeot’s 2023 e-Partner Professional Premium + L2 50kWh van.

Last-mile

delivery runs in urban Britain will increasingly be dominated by zero-emission electric vans if they cannot realistically be handled by cargo bikes. Environmentally-conscious consumers will expect it, and the likely proliferation of Zero Emission Zones such as the one now in force in central Oxford will oblige businesses to go electric if they have not already done so.

Companies looking to acquire battery-powered vans now have plenty of options, with all the leading manufacturers in the sector rolling out models.

Peugeot is but one example, and we drove a long-wheelbase electric Peugeot e-Partner Professional Premium + van with a three-seater cab and a 3.8cu m load area.

Like all electric light commercials it does not come cheap, with an on-theroad price tag of £38,277 after the government’s Plug-in Van Grant.

A short-wheelbase version is on offer too, with a crew van available on the longer platform.

Two trim levels are listed, with Professional Premium + the entry-level choice. If you want features such as satellite navigation and a reversing camera you have to step up to Asphalt Premium + or start ticking the options list.

Bear in mind that Peugeot is owned by Stellantis, which also owns Citroen, Fiat Professional, and Vauxhall. As a result e-Partner is marketed by Citroen as the e-Berlingo, by Fiat Professional as the E-Doblo and by Vauxhall as the Combo-e.

Furthermore, the same vehicle is sold by Toyota as the Proace City Electric under a joint-venture agreement.

Which version of the van you pick is likely to depend on factors such as the competence of the dealer network concerned and the package of benefits on offer at the time. Toyota’s warranty package is especially impressive.

Peugeot e-Partner is equipped with a 50kWh lithium-ion battery which powers a 100kW electric motor delivering 260Nm of torque. It is married to a single-speed automatic transmission.

The gearshift allows you to select P for Park, R for Reverse, N for Neutral, D for Drive or B for Brake. Using the lastnamed triggers the regeneration function, pumping charge into the battery every time you lift your foot off the brake pedal.

Three different drive modes are on offer; Eco, Normal and Power. You use a switch next to the gear selector to make your choice.

The quoted WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) maximum range between recharges is 171 miles. The dashboard’s instrument panel tells you how much range you have got left, whether you are driving economically, and if regeneration is taking place.

Hook your e-Partner up to a single-phase 32amp/7.4kW wallbox and it will take seven-and-a-half hours to boost the charge from 0 to 100% says Peugeot. Use a three-phase 16amp/11kW wallbox instead and you can reach the same target in no more than five hours, it adds.

If you have access to a 100kW rapid DC charger however then you can take your battery from 0% to 80% of its capacity in no more than 30 minutes, it contends.

Bear in mind that the van’s payload capacity is limited to 753kg and anything you tow must weigh no more than 750kg.

Access to the cargo area is by means of asymmetric twin rear doors and sliding side doors on each side of the body. Six tiedown points are provided and a full-height steel bulkhead should protect the cab’s occupants from harm if any items break loose.

Our test van’s bulkhead came with a loadthru facility as part of Peugeot’s optional Multi-Flex pack. Fold back a hatch behind the passenger seat closest to the nearside door, then fold the seat back flat, and you can avail yourself of an extra 1,273mm of load length.

Standard in-cab equipment includes airconditioning. A touch-screen controls the DAB radio, and Bluetooth compatibility is included in the deal along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

To describes the cab as a three-seater is a bit of a stretch and space restrictions mean that most people will want to avoid occupying the middle seat. If it is unoccupied then you can fold down its back and create a handy desk.

There is no shortage of onboard safety devices. The portfolio includes ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, Electronic Brake Assist, and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. AVAS - Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System - warns pedestrians and cyclists that e-Partner is in their vicinity when it is being driven at low speeds around town.

But what’s e-Partner like on the highway?

Most drivers will find that Normal driving mode fulfils their needs, offering the right combination of acceleration, cruising and hill-climbing capability without taking too much charge out of the battery.

Switch to Power and you will get an immediate performance boost which might be required if you are tackling a steep incline heavily-laden or need to accelerate past a slow-moving queue of traffic. It sucks up a lot of charge however so you would be wise to revert to Normal as soon as possible to preserve the van’s range.

You can of course opt for Eco, but that is only really advisable if you are heading through flat terrain lightly-laden or you are desperate to maximise your range. Acceleration is far less brisk than it is with the other two settings and the warmth generated by the cab heater is restricted.

While e-Partner rides and handles well, the level of in-cab tyre and wind noise it generates is too high, and better sound-proofing is required. This noise would of course be largely smothered by the sound of the engine in a conventionally-powered van.

Service intervals are set at two years/25,000 miles and e-Partner comes with a three-year/100,000-mile warranty. The battery is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty which guarantees that it will retain up to 70% of its original charging capacity during the warranty period.

Our Verdict

Peugeot’s e-Partner is undoubtedly a practical, well-equipped van for short- to medium-haul runs, but do not forget to check out the competition.

Renault’s new Kangoo E-Tech offers a slightly better range and Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz Cargo offers more range and slightly more space too as well as mind-boggling looks. Its payload capacity is modest, however; and its price is eye-watering.

• Flexible loading arrangements include hatch into cab for long objects