Research by Vauxhall has found that UK tradespeople could charge an electric van enough to cover a full week of mileage in the time they spend taking their morning breakfast breaks.
In a survey of 1,000 UK van drivers who work as tradespeople or in home repairs and maintenance, Vauxhall found that the typical van owner stops twice a week for a morning break or breakfast before they start their day’s work, with 60% stopping for between 15-45 minutes – time which could be used to charge an EV. Of the electric van drivers surveyed, almost three quarters (73%) already stop at least twice a week to use public rapid chargers.
The Vauxhall Vivaro Electric can be charged from 5-80% in just 45 minutes using a 100kW charger, while the average tradesperson travels 191 miles for work over the space of a week – less than the 219-mile range (WLTP) of a Vivaro Electric.
The survey participants, which included a variety of professions from builders to decorators and gardeners, also told Vauxhall that their vehicle is typically left stationary for up to four hours per day while they are at work. Vauxhall says that those unable to reach a rapid charger would also be able to take advantage of their vehicle’s down time, for example by utilising on-street chargers.
Through its Electric Streets campaign, Vauxhall is working with leading chargepoint operators to help accelerate the number of accessible residential on-street chargepoints, supporting businesses to go electric by helping van drivers to top up both when they are attending residential jobs and at home.
On average, tradespeople receive nine callouts or bookings per week which require them to visit a customer’s address. Seventy per cent of electric van drivers said they think it is likely that customers would let them charge their electric van at their address while working, with 78% having done this on at least one occasion and 15% doing it often. Customers with a home wallbox stand to benefit from this arrangement, with three quarters of van drivers saying they would be happy to offer an average discount of £24 for permission to charge their van at a customer’s address while they work.
Steve Catlin, managing director, Vauxhall, says: “Our research demonstrates how electric vans can easily fit into tradespeople’s lifestyle, whether charging from home overnight, topping up from a rapid charger during a morning breakfast break, or charging while on the job. With most tradespeople covering less weekly mileage than the range of a Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, they can comfortably meet their charging needs – all without losing valuable working hours.”
Vauxhall was one of the first manufacturers to offer fully electric versions of all its vans and has sold more electric vans in the UK than any other manufacturer, with over 17,000 on the road.
