Electric van leasing

Use a route test before using a range figure

A published WLTP range is a comparison figure from a standard test. It is not a promise for a loaded winter route. The useful assessment combines the actual vehicle, your longest routine day, charging opportunities and a margin for disruption.

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Mercedes-Benz identifies load, driving speed, heating and temperature among the factors affecting electric-van use in its electric van guide. Ask for the actual model’s evidence and, where practical, a representative demonstration with your working load.

Start with size, then select the electric derivative

These routes open existing model families. Ask specifically for the battery-electric commercial version and confirm current supply. Do not use a family name, a low CO₂ filter or a photograph as evidence of the powertrain.

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If you are still deciding on size, compare small, medium and large vans using the same load brief. Electric and diesel versions can have different permitted weights and payloads. For every body type and size, start from our van leasing overview.

Check the charging arrangement, not just charger power

For charging at work or home, confirm parking access, installation permission, the electrical supply and the hours available. The vehicle’s onboard charger and the charge point both affect AC charging. Public DC charging depends on compatibility, the battery’s condition and charge level, and the power actually available.

Check the connector and cable supplied with the vehicle and what equipment must be ordered separately. If public charging is important, consider the physical bay: cable reach, van length, height restrictions and a trailer can make a nominally suitable location impractical.

• Identify the main charging location and who controls access to it.
• Confirm charger installation, connection costs and the energy tariff.
• Plan the normal departure charge and how an unexpectedly long day will be handled.
• Check backup locations and any subscription, parking or idle charges.

Compare the whole operating commitment

An electric van does not automatically have a lower total operating cost for every job. Build the comparison from the actual quotations and the way the vehicle will be charged. Keep mileage, body, equipment, maintenance and contract length consistent.

For energy, use the electricity purchased from the charger or meter over a representative distance, including charging losses. Multiply that energy by the applicable tariff. Add any charging subscription or parking costs separately, then compare with the equivalent fuel use. Keep VAT treatment consistent and confirm it with your accountant.

Include the charging installation and any working time needed for charging. Treat a grant, incentive or tax treatment as a separate verified item for the actual vehicle and agreement; do not assume every electric van qualifies. This is general planning guidance, not tax advice.

Make the quotation match the working vehicle

Business contract hire covers use of the agreed vehicle for a set term and mileage. Compare written quotations on the same basis, including the exact version and any equipment fitted.

• At the start: check the initial rental, subsequent rentals and payment schedule, VAT, the £295 plus VAT administration fee, and any additional charges.
• During the agreement: confirm the treatment of delivery and road tax, warranty start date, servicing, tyres, maintenance and insurance. Do not assume optional packages are included.
• When the contract ends: contract hire normally means returning the vehicle, without an option to own it. Ask for the mileage charge, return-condition standard, equipment-removal requirements and any collection or end-of-contract charges. Early termination can carry a charge.

Ask how the battery warranty applies to the actual vehicle, including mileage and capacity conditions, and what cover remains if it is pre-registered. Confirm servicing and return requirements, charging cables and any agreed fitted equipment. No particular battery life or range is guaranteed by this page.

Electric vans compared on published figures

These dated manufacturer figures are reference comparisons, not confirmed specifications for every vehicle currently listed. Match the model year, body, powertrain, battery, trim, wheels and fitted equipment to the actual IVF derivative before relying on a figure. Range and charging results depend on test conditions, temperature, load and charging equipment; do not combine maxima from different versions.

The figures below are the manufacturers’ own published UK specifications, checked on 6 September 2026 and listed with their sources at the end of this section. Figures vary by version, equipment and model year, and some manufacturers publish different numbers on different pages, which is noted where it applies. Confirm the exact vehicle on the written quotation before relying on any of them.

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• A category B (car) licence covers a zero-emission van up to 4,250 kg maximum authorised mass in England, Scotland and Wales, against 3,500 kg for a diesel van; a vehicle and trailer combination may not exceed 7,000 kg (GOV.UK, updated 10 June 2025).
• For 2026 to 2027 the flat-rate van benefit charge for a conventional van available for private use is £4,170 and the van fuel benefit charge is £798; a zero-emission van is reported at 0% of £4,170, which is £0 (HMRC, effective 6 April 2026).
• Tax treatment depends on your own circumstances and can change; the rules are quoted from the government pages dated in the sources list and are not advice. Ask your accountant to confirm your position before ordering.

Check the plated weight and the driver

Use the electric derivative’s own completed payload and plate. Battery, body, occupants and fitted equipment must be accounted for; the licence allowance does not increase the vehicle’s permitted load.

GOV.UK guidance for Great Britain allows a standard car licence to cover vans up to 3,500kg and zero-emission electric or hydrogen vans up to 4,250kg. Check the individual driver’s entitlement, restrictions and any trailer. Northern Ireland and overseas use need the applicable local rules. See the driving-a-van guidance.

Driver entitlement is separate from operator licensing. Goods vehicles over 3,500kg gross plated weight normally require a goods vehicle operator-licence assessment, subject to exemptions. Trailer combinations and international work can have different thresholds. Confirm the requirements for the vehicle and journeys before committing. Check operator licensing.

Tax, VAT and road tax: check the actual vehicle

Tax and operating guidance checked 28 September 2026. Confirm the actual vehicle classification and your circumstances with a qualified accountant; a commercial label does not decide every tax. Later annual charges can change.

For 2026/27, the company van benefit is £4,170 where the van benefit charge applies; employer-provided private fuel can add a £798 taxable benefit. These are taxable benefit values, not the tax bill. Qualifying restricted private use can be exempt, and zero-emission vans have a nil van benefit charge. Later van benefit amounts must be checked for each tax year; the company car percentage path is a different system. Read the HMRC van benefit figures.

VAT recovery depends on VAT registration, taxable business use, private use and the applicable vehicle rules. Keep the VAT basis consistent across quotations and ask your accountant to confirm recovery. The tax definition of a van can differ from the vehicle’s road-traffic category, especially with crew seating or a heavier conversion.

If the actual derivative is treated as a company car, its CO2, electric range where relevant and P11D value determine the benefit. The zero-emission car percentages are 4%, 5%, 7% and 9% for 2026/27 to 2029/30 respectively; they are not the rates for a qualifying company van. Check the full company car tax path for a passenger or differently classified alternative.

For 2026/27, the standard light-goods VED class TC39, for vehicles registered from 1 March 2001 with revenue weight up to 3,500kg, has a £360 single annual payment, including zero-emission vehicles. Other classes and exemptions differ. Confirm the registered class and how road tax and future increases are handled in the quotation. Check the GOV.UK vehicle-tax table.

The Expensive Car Supplement is a car-tax rule, not an addition to the standard light-goods rate above. Where car VED rules apply, the thresholds are list price over £40,000 for non-zero-emission cars and over £50,000 for zero-emission cars, with registration-date conditions; the current supplement is £440 for five years from the second taxation. Confirm the exact tax class. A pickup being a car for benefit in kind does not by itself change its VED treatment.

The government plans electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028 for electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Vans, buses, coaches and HGVs are outside its announced scope at introduction. Check the registered category for a passenger derivative or conversion, and recheck the final arrangements before the lease crosses that date. Read the government’s eVED scope.

Questions before you choose

Bring a route. We will help build the specification.

Tell us the load, longest regular day and overnight parking arrangement. We can work through the electric options and prepare written quotations on a clear basis.