The Vauxhall Combo Electric Panel Van: The Complete Guide For The UK

Vauxhall Combo Electric
Price: £32,000 + VAT
Type of electric vehicle: Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body type: Panel Van
Battery size: 50 kWh
Electric range (WLTP): 175 miles
Tailpipe emissions: 0g (CO2/km)


Overview


Vauxhall Motors is part of the Netherlands based Stellantis N.V., which was formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Italian/ American) and Groupe PSA (French). You may not be familiar with these names, but the automotive brands in the portfolio would be well known to most consumers. These include: Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Jeep, FIAT, Alfa Romeo etc. Apart from electric cars, Vauxhall also manufacturers and sells electric vans. These include:



Electric Cars: The Basics


For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following blog categories:


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Vauxhall Combo-e Panel Van


The Combo panel van has been available since 1993 under the Opel brand. The second generation was introduced in 2001. The commercial van is currently in its fourth generation, which was introduced in 2018.

The pure electric Combo Electric panel van is available only in one EV battery size: 50 kWh. The e-van has a claimed emission-free electric range up to 175 miles (WLTP) on a fully charged battery. Of course, the real-world electric range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include: payload, driving profile, weather conditions, temperature, onboard services used etc. Expect a real-world e-range closer to 150 miles. Nevertheless, a decent electric range, in particular, for last mile deliveries!

It is also worth noting that the electric range is further impacted by the increased weight of the electric van due to the onboard EV battery. The gross vehicle weight of the EV is 2,411 kgs. The manufacturer offers DC charging up to 100 kW DC. Charging the electric van at 100 kW DC, the EV battery can achieve 80% charge in 30 minutes. Just enough time for a quick coffee and rest!

Vauxhall has incorporated, as standard, a single-phase (7 kW) onboard AC charger. However, there is an option to upgrade to a three-phase 11 kW AC onboard charger, at an additional cost. We would encourage upgrading to the 11 kW AC onboard charger, as most commercial premises in the UK are powered by three-phase power supply.

At 11 kW AC 3 phase EV charging, the electric van can be fully charged in 5 hours. Single-phase (7 kW) will take longer (7 hours and 30 minutes). Though the e-van can be charged using a standard 3-PIN domestic plug, we at e-zoomed discourage using a domestic plug to charge an electric vehicle. It will take up to 21 hours and 45 minutes to charge the EV.

In any case, we at e-zoomed encourage a ‘topping up’ approach to charging an electric vehicle. This is beneficial for the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery and of course, EV charging times are shorter. Vauxhall offers a 8 years or 100,000 miles warranty. We also recommend charging overnight, when electricity tariff prices are lower. 

In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive (FWD) Combo-e electric van delivers a maximum power up to 136 PS and 260 Nm torque. The EV can achieve 0-62 mph in 11.7 seconds. The top speed is 81 mph. The Vauxhall electric van also incorporates regenerative braking to improve the efficiency of the EV and increase the electric range.

The e-van has three driving modes: Power, Normal and Eco. For maximum range and energy efficiency, the ECO mode deactivates all unnecessary energy-consuming features and reduces the top speed, torque and performance. The Power mode is for the highest performance (speed/ torque). Of course, the Power mode impacts negatively the electric range.

The electric van is available in two lengths, L1 (4403 mm) and L2 (4753 mm), and offers cargo volume up to 3.9 m3. The payload of the electric commercial van is up to 803 kgs. The EV offers 2 seats. The e-van offers a number of safety features as standard, to include: anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability programme, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency brake assist, hill start assist and more. Also included is a 8-inch colour touchscreen.

The Vauxhall Combo-e electric van is eligible for the UK government plug-in van grant for the ‘small vans’ category. These vehicles are less than 2,500 kilograms (kg) gross vehicle weight, have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and can travel at least 96km (60 miles) zero-emissions. The grant will pay for 35% of the purchase price for small vans, up to a maximum of £2,500.

Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! You can lease electric vans via e-zoomed at very competitive prices!



PROS CONS
Practical electric range Available in only one battery size
100 kW DC charging 11 kW AC onboard charger not standard
Available in two lengths Competition increasing in this segment

Gallery


The All-Electric Vauxhall Combo-e Panel Van (credit: Vauxhall)


At A Glance
EV Type:Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body Type:Panel Van
Plug-In Van Grant (PiVG):Available
Engine:Electric
Available In UK:Yes

Variants (4 Options)
Vauxhall Combo-e L1 Prime Panel Van (from £32,000 + VAT)
Vauxhall Combo-e L1 Pro Panel Van (from £33,600 + VAT)
Vauxhall Combo-e L2 Prime Panel Van (from £32,855 + VAT)
Vauxhall Combo-e L2 Pro Panel Van (from £34,455 + VAT)

EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:Available in one battery sizes: 50 kWh
Charging:100 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 30 mins). Onboard charger 7.4 kW AC (0%-100%: 7 hrs 30 mins)
Charge Port:Type 2
EV Cable Type: Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:0g (CO2/km)
EV Battery Warranty:8 years or 100,000 miles

Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
  • Note 1: SoC: state of charge

Dimensions (L1/L2)
Height (mm):1796 – 1860
Width (mm):2107
Length (mm):4403 – 4753
Wheelbase (mm):2785 – 2975
Turning Radius (m):N/A
Cargo Volume (m3):3.3 – 3.9
Payload (kg):751 – 803

Combo Electric
EV Battery Capacity:50 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):171 – 175 miles
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100 km):19.5 – 23.0
Charging: 100 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 30 mins). Onboard charger 7.4 kW AC (0%-100%: 7 hrs 30 mins)
Top Speed:81 mph
0-62 mph:11.7 seconds
Drive: Front-Wheel Drive (FWD)
Max Power (PS):136
Torque (Nm): 260
Transmission:Automatic
Seats:2
Towing Capacity/ Braked (kg):750
Gross Vehicle Weight (kg):2,400 – 2,411
Colours:16
NCAP Safety Rating:N/A

While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.


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Author

Ashvin Suri

Ashvin has been involved with the renewables, energy efficiency and infrastructure sectors since 2006. He is passionate about the transition to a low-carbon economy and electric transportation. Ashvin commenced his career in 1994, working with US investment banks in New York. Post his MBA from the London Business School (1996-1998), he continued to work in investment banking at Flemings (London) and JPMorgan (London). His roles included corporate finance advisory, M&A and capital raising. He has been involved across diverse industry sectors, to include engineering, aerospace, oil & gas, airports and automotive across Asia and Europe. In 2010, he co-founded a solar development platform, for large scale ground and roof solar projects to include, the UK, Italy, Germany and France. He has also advised on various renewable energy (wind and solar) utility scale projects working with global institutional investors and independent power producers (IPP’s) in the renewable energy sector. He has also advised in key international markets like India, to include advising large-scale industrial and automotive group in India. Ashvin has also advised Indian Energy, an IPP backed by Guggenheim (a US$ 165 billion fund). He has also advised a US$ 2 billion, Singapore based group. Ashvin has also worked in the real estate and infrastructure sector, to including working with the Matrix Group (a US$ 4 billion property group in the UK) to launch one of the first few institutional real estate funds for the Indian real estate market. The fund was successfully launched with significant institutional support from the UK/ European markets. He has also advised on water infrastructure, to include advising a Swedish clean technology company in the water sector. He has also been involved with a number of early stage ventures.

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