Citroen Relay E- 40 L4 200KW 110Kwh H3 Van Enterprise Auto

Ten Second Review

Citroen has developed a full-electric version of its largest van, the Relay, by working with a Turkish-based third-party manufacturer and this model shares its design and drivetrain with two key rivals from Peugeot and Vauxhall. With this e-Relay, both driving range and payload are limited, but compared to the diesel version, cargo capacity isn't compromised and charging speeds are relatively fast by class standards.

Background

One day soon, Citroen will design and build its own large segment electric van. But that day hasn't yet come. The brand can sell you a really large full-electric LCV - this e-Relay - but most of the work in creating it is of the third party sort. Every e-Relay starts life as a diesel model, then gets shipped to third-party specialists BEDO and a Turkish factory where the EV drivetrain is installed. That's very different to Citroen's smaller electric vans, the e-Berlingo and the e-Dispatch, which come out of Citroen's own factory as full-EVs. This model's close cousins, the Peugeot e-Boxer and the Vauxhall Movano Electric, take this short-cut Turkish route to market as well. But interestingly, the other shared Stellantis Group version of this design, Fiat's E-Ducato, doesn't, completely engineered and built by Fiat itself. So will this Citroen be compromised by this approach? And is it still a creditable alternative in a class recently augmented by newer designs? Let's see.

Driving Experience

If you're expecting the usual surge away from rest that typifies electric power, you won't get it here. The 122hp electric motor struggles a bit with a van this weighty and its torque figure (260Nm) is actually 50Nm less than the entry-level diesel. Hence the rather restricted payload. Citroen no longer offers this model with the smaller 37kWh battery, so just a larger 75kWh power pack is on offer, which takes you 154 miles between charges, though that'll drop a bit if you've a full load out back. And it's significantly down on the 192 mile range you'd get from a comparable Fiat E-Ducato (which has a 79kWh battery). Unlike most EV vans, this Citroen can't offer you any drive modes, so there's no 'Eco' setting to maximise range - and no regenerative braking 'B' option for the single-speed gearbox, actioned by buttons on the dash ('Drive', 'Neutral' and 'Reverse'). On the plus side, this EV model's under-floor battery positioning results in a low centre of gravity, improving cornering and stability even when fully loaded. Top speed is just 68mph for the 3,500kg gross vehicle weight models (the only ones now available). The steering's quite a old-fashioned set-up that's quite heavy at low speeds, but lightens up at faster ones.

Design and Build

Apart from the badging and the charging flap, there are no exterior giveaways to this e-Relay's full-EV status. If you haven't tried a Relay for some time, you may not be up to speed with the way that the current generation design has been much improved in recent years. The front end features large high-mounted headlights incorporating daytime running lights. It also incorporates a multi-piece front bumper to minimise accident damage and reduce repair costs. Climb inside and you'll be greeted by decent quality cab trim and a reasonably modern dashboard layout. The strangest thing about it is that the instrument cluster is exactly as it would be in the diesel version, with the same rev counter, speedometer, fuel and temperature dials. Of these, only the speedometer works - all the needles have been removed from the other gauges. Curiously, information on range and battery charge status is shown in a small digital section of the rear view mirror. Temperature is controlled by digital panel to the right of the wheel but the fan speed, as in the diesel version, is still controlled by dial on the dashboard. It all rather smacks of aftermarket conversion. The rest is as in any other Relay model. As you'd expect, there's a dual passenger seat, this one incorporating a drop-down desk unit. Up to ten in-cab storage areas are available, including the glovebox, a dash-mounted document clip and various open or lidded compartments on the dashboard. In addition, there are large door pockets, storage space beneath the passenger seat and a sizeable 22-litre overhead storage compartment. There's been a clear effort in design here not just to improve the perception of quality in the cab but also to beef up high use, high stress items such as the rear doors. These have been reinforced and high strength door hinges are used. Similarly, the sliding side load door gets reinforced rails, tough-design runners and security-tested door locks.

Market and Model

Prices, as you'd expect, are much the same as those being charged for the Vauxhall Movano Electric and Peugeot e-Boxer models that share this Citroen's engineering. That means that without VAT but after deduction of the government's £5,000 Plug-in Van Grant, you're looking at starting figures beginning at just under £58,000 for the L3H2 version. Add £900 more for the lengthier L4H2 variant. There's only one 75kWh battery option - and only one trim level ('Enterprise') too. To give you some price perspective, an equivalent 35 L3H2 140hp BlueHDi diesel version of this Relay costs from just under £32,000. At least your business will get a reasonable amount of kit for its money. There's air conditioning, a 6-way driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, electronic cruise control with a speed limiter and a 5-inch colour centre touchscreen with Bluetooth. This monitor also provides a navigation system, which gives you online traffic information in real time. Safety features include forward collision alert, blind spot warning and lane departure warning. Key options include a spare wheel, a passenger airbag and 270-degree opening rear doors. There's also an optional 'City Pack' with electric folding mirrors, a rear parking camera, blind spot assist and rear cross traffic alert. And you can add leather for the steering wheel and gear lever, plus a 'Look Pack' with LED daytime running lights, front fog lights and special wheel trims.

Practicalities and Costs

On to practicalities. You don't get a choice of roof heights with the e-Relay - just the standard H2 model. And body lengths are limited to the longer L3 and L4 models. There's no heavy duty version, which means payload is very limited. 735kg will be the most you can carry - in either version. That's better than a Mercedes eSprinter. But Citroen shouldn't congratulate itself. In contrast, the distantly-related Fiat E-Ducato can take up to 1,570kgs. Outside the Stellantis Group, other rivals can easily better this Citroen's payload showing too. A Renault Master E-Tech can manage up to 1,490kgs. Load capacity figures are the same as with a diesel-powered Relay. That's because the drive system's lithium-ion battery is mounted under the floor between the front and rear axle and so doesn't impinge on the cargo bay. In L3 configuration, the e-Relay has a load deck length of 3705mm and an internal load height of 1932mm, which gives a 13m3 capacity. The largest e-Relay L4 has a load deck length of 4070mm and a 17.0m3 capacity. We gave you the range figure - 154 miles - in our Driving section. Thanks to the 50kW rapid charging speed, a public DC power source could replenish the battery to 80% in an hour. A 22kW source would take nine hours, while a 7.4kW garage wallbox would need 12 hours. Like Citroen's other fully electric LCV models, the e-Relay is exempt from current ultra-low and congestion charge payments. The zero emissions powertrain also allows businesses to save significantly on company van tax, with a 0% Benefit-in-Kind tax rate. This provides eligible businesses with immediate and significant annual savings that can amount to thousands of pounds.

Summary

As with this Citroen's badge-engineered close cousins the Vauxhall Movano Electric and the Peugeot e-Boxer, there's a feeling here of getting first generation EV large van tech. Nothing wrong with that if your business doesn't particularly need a long driving range or a large payload and gets offered a good deal on an e-Relay. But there can't be that many reasons why your company might pay the big premium required for one over the diesel version. Or, if it has to have a large electric van, why it would choose an e-Relay over a longer-ranging Ford E-Transit. Having said all of that, if your fleet already runs Citroens - and particularly e-Berlingo and e-Dispatch models - it would make sense to keep things common and add a few e-Relays as well. This might be a strange Gallic-Turkish confection, but it's the beginning of the French maker's journey into large EV vans. And that makes it a significant milestone in Citroen development.