Top 5 best small electric vans by range

Small electric vans offer many of the same advantages as electric cars: they are a cleaner, more sustainable option to drive and provide a smooth and speedy driving experience. There are some hurdles… and the biggest is that they are usually more expensive to buy than equivalent-sized petrol or diesel vans, although a good finance or lease deal and long-term savings on fuel should help. And they have shorter driving ranges and lower payload carrying capabilities (usually) than standard fuel vans. That said, battery and vehicle technology continues to improve at a fast pace, delivering better maximum ranges with each new model.

We have ranked the small electric vans by their maximum WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) combined cycle ranges. If you don’t know, the WLTP combined cycle is a series of tests simulating real-world driving to produce a reliable best-case range. This can then be used by a van manufacturer to give customers an idea of what to expect from the vehicle. The usual mitigating factors such as colder weather, how much weight you’re carrying and how you drive will all affect the range and bring it down, but WLTP figures give a good idea of a small electric van’s capabilities.

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo is close to a Stellantis small electric van in size (see entry below) and grabs attention with its nostalgic looks and near-300-mile range. There is a cold reality to face, however, that as nice a vehicle it is, there are more practical small electric vans available. Money and practicality come first in business, and if it was a little cheaper and could carry a few hundred kilograms more in the back, it would be easier to recommend as a workhorse. However, the vehicle's top range is impressive!

Kia decided being a great electric car manufacturer wasn’t enough and that it would try its hand at building a van. The result is the excellent PV5 small electric van, a fantastic overall package available as a commercial or personal vehicle and priced lower than some small diesel vans! It’s already won the prestigious International Van of the Year award for 2026 and even set a Guiness World Record for ‘the greatest distance travelled by a light-duty battery-powered electric van with maximum payload on a single charge’ driving 430.85 miles before the battery ran out. However, its WLTP range for normal driving is nearly 260 miles and you can read all about how we got on with the PV5 Cargo in our first drive article.

The Citroen e-Berlingo, Fiat E-Doblo, Peugeot E-Partner, Toyota Proace City Electric and Vauxhall Combo Electric have a lot in common even before the maximum 220-mile range. They’re rebadged versions of the same van platform, offering largely the same practicalities and comforts with the occasional brand-specific touches. You know them, you love them, they are what they are… affordable and reliable vans that can pretty much work for any business. And they do. In huge numbers.

The Maxus electric vans are an interesting bunch… stylish and affordable with the eDeliver 5 being pegged by most as a budget alternative to the Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo. It’s a huge step up from the company’s eDeliver 3 van, with a single and well-equipped trim level that doesn’t really fall down in any major areas aside from its overly-responsive handling and limited cabin storage. It’s definitely worth checking out… although that’s mainly because of its price!

Where the old smaller-than-small van versions of the Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Fiesta bowed out, a new wave has stepped in… one of which is the Citroen e-C3 Van. It’s basically the e-C3 electric car turned into a van the usual way: whip out the back seats, flatten the load area, black out the rear windows, job done. The e-C3 Van comes with a good range, nice spec and equipment. That said, its tiny 300kg payload and load space might make some people look longingly at slightly larger electric options like the Citroen e-Berlingo or Vauxhall Combo Electric (see above).

We recently ranked the best overall electric vans by range, and you might want to have a look at our article about the best electric pick-up trucks currently available if you need something to drive for business and pleasure.

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