WHAT IS IT?
It’s a big electric van with a lot of seats. We’ve had a Citroen e-dispatch before, but purely in cargo carrying form. This one comes as a full eight seater.
This, then, will appeal to the cab trade as well as those with large families. Demand is also likely to be driven by the introduction of more clean air zones, such as those in Bath, Birmingham and soon to be Portsmouth. Vehicles which do not meet emissions standards could well be subject to charges to drive in these areas.
This is an electric version of Citroen’s medium-sized panel van and comes with a 50kWh battery – good for a stated 143 miles although we could not get it to charge beyond 137. Shame it’s not available with the 75kW, 211-mile range battery which is offered in the e-Dispatch LCV
It uses the same technology as the Peugeot Traveller and Vauxhall Vivaro Life which have also gone electric.
On-board tech includes rear parking sensors, automatic lights and windscreen wipers, a seven-inch colour touchscreen with Bluetooth, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The e-SpaceTourer is based on the Dispatch van which, as we previously said, is great for carrying cargo, the SpaceTourer is best at carrying lots of people – up to nine in three, three-seater rows.
Available in two trim levels, ‘Flair’ comes as a five, seven or eight-seater, while ‘Business’ is offered with eight or nine seats.
WHAT DO WE THINK?
Advancements in battery technology have made electric cars and LCVs viable and there’s a growing number of models available. Then there’s the financial incentives: a 0% Benefit-in-Kind tax on zero emission, fully electric vans, making e-LCVs more affordable than ever for those businesses.
There are three driving modes, Eco, Normal and Power. Eco reduces the power output and limits the air conditioning and heating, Normal offers the optimum balance of range and performance, while Power increases the available output when required.
There are also two energy recovery modes. Standard and Enhanced which maximises the effect of the regenerative braking system.
EVs have certainly been gaining traction but there is still a long way to go in making them the default option. There is a need for a catalyst that pushes EVs over the tipping point.
Range anxiety continues to be a sticking point for many fleet decision makers and the e Space Tourer just doesn’t quite have enough miles to attract the airport-run trade – you’ll also struggle to get nine people about with all their luggage.
The nightclub trade could work, as long as the revellers aren’t coming or going from too far afield. Then there’s the perceived barrier of cost. While it’s true that e-LCVs are still comparatively expensive to their ICE equivalent from a capital cost perspective, many fleet operators find that the total cost of ownership is less. For this reason, many large fleets are already getting ahead and making the transition.
Weight is generally recognised as a battery killer, so loaded up to its maximum will have some effect, although nothing drastic according to the manufacturer. Plenty of hills around where we are and that’s another factor – you don’t always make up on the way down what you lose on the way up.
In the cab, space is reasonable, although three may be a crowd in the front. A couple of niggles here, everyone who got in the front passenger seat attached their seat belt to the wrong slot while those of wider girth will find the seat belt anchor digging into them.
Reasonable storage facilities and the interior is quiet and therefore feels quite refined. The driving position is very comfortable and there are light, user-friendly controls.
If you’re in the market for a medium-size electric van, the Citroen e-Dispatch is certainly worth a look and we would particularly recommend the larger 75kWh battery.
Citroen e SpaceTourer Business Edition M 50kWh
Price: £48,615
Annual VED: £0
BiK band: 1
Insurance group: 39
Battery: Lithium-Ion 50kWh
Top speed: 81mph
EV Range WLTP: 137 Miles
CO2 emissions: 0
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