Tim Cattlin has produced a monthly roundup covering July, whats new? Lets take a look.
Every month, Van Expert Tim Cattlin takes a look at what’s been happening in the van industry – be it new products, industry news, legislation changes – even the weird and wonderful. It’s all here…
A New Government – What Now for EV’s?
Well, as I forecast (along with virtually everyone else) last month, we have a new government in power and we now wait with bated breath to see what it has in store for the electric van industry. What has happened already is that it has confirmed that the original date of 2030 has been reinstated (it had been moved back to 2035) whereby all new cars registered must be electric (the situation regarding hybrids still seems a little vague). But, there is no word on vans and other light commercial vehicles. Does this mean that 2035 remains in place? Some key figures in the fleet industry have stated that they think this would be wise, given the relatively slow uptake by van buyers of electric vehicles. Perhaps more time is needed for confidence to be built, for the public charging infrastructure to improve, and perhaps for vehicle ranges and payloads to be more appealing. Manufacturers need clarification though, 2030 is only five and a half years away…
There’s not a huge amount of major product news this month – the summer period has traditionally been a little quiet on this front. One or two snippets worth mentioning though…
The Peugeot Boxer, whilst not always considered to be a particularly fashionable van, is a cracking workhorse with payloads which are (I’ve not double checked so let’s say probably) class-leading, and with a spacious, comfortable cab environment. Up until now, you’d have to be content with a manual gearbox but, you can now order the van with an 8-speed automatic box. It’s got something called a ‘hydraulic accumulator’ – quite what that is I’ve no idea but the upshot is that it reduces the gearbox response time and assists the start-stop system to work more smoothly.
The order book is now open for the Renault Trafic E-Tech electric medium van. I’ve mentioned this van before and, although I’ve yet to drive one (arrangements have been made!) it looks to be a very worthy contender in this sector. There is a range of up to 186 miles on a charge and Renault has managed to achieve a payload of up to 1222kgs, and, a 920kg towing capacity (that doesn’t sound much but when you consider that there’s at least one medium electric van out there that is unable to tow anything at all, it’s not to be sniffed at). OK, it’s up against some very stiff competition but I reckon the van will do well. The first customer deliveries are expected as soon as September.
Always liked the look of the Maxus T90EV pickup but not convinced that an electric truck will work for you? Worry not, as the Chinese manufacturer has announced the imminent launch of a diesel version. It’ll have the same 161hp unit that is fitted to the Deliver 9 van, and it’ll have the much missed by some four-wheel drive. I understand that an automatic gearbox will be standard and that the truck will have the tax-friendly 1000kg plus payload. The hints are that we’ll see it before the year is out.
The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo is a cracking looking van and, although they are slowly becoming more familiar on our roads, it still seem to turn heads. I’ve always said that it’s more of a large small van, rather than a medium van due to its modest loadspace and payload. However…Volkswagen has launched a long wheelbase ID Buzz – but note the omission of the word Cargo here. This is the passenger carrying version which is less reliant on payload. I spoke to the press office who said that, at present, there are no plans to introduce a LWB Cargo, but, given the success the van is enjoying, perhaps the company will reconsider in the future. It’s going to need an increase in its plated Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) to even maintain the payload the existing van has, as the longer van is obviously heavier.
Van insurance is a necessary evil and those of you who have renewed recently won’t be surprised to hear that premiums have risen by almost 25% in the 12 months to June this year. What’s behind this? Presumably an increase in the cost of claims driven by the rise in incidents where vans are broken into and tools and other goods are stolen, and also the fact that repairs are getting more costly due to increases in the costs of parts, panels etc. Let’s not also forget that all the technology we’re getting accustomed to doesn’t come cheap and if these parts need replacing, the bill to the insurance company is only going to head in one direction. Maybe a glimmer of hope? Car insurance premiums leapt up in a similar manner a year or so ago, and then the increases slowed, and in some cases, premiums started to drop. Fingers crossed…
And finally… We’re back to product again. It’s no secret that Kia is planning a three pronged attack on the van market, and this month a heavily disguised prototype of the smaller, PV5 model has been spotted undergoing road testing. The PV5 was seen alongside a Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo, and it is being suggested that the Kia will compete head on with the VW in its little ‘large small van’ sector. Rumours are that the van will be launched in Europe in early 2026.