International Van of the Year 2021: E-vans from PSA take the lead

E-Vans on the Rise

For the first time in the history of the election for the best new release in vans in Europe, established in 1992 and held for the 30th time, E-Vans made up half of the candidate field. For the second time since the Renault Kangoo Z.E. in 2012, an electric van was successful. The PSA trio clearly relegated the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter to second place with 131 to 55 points. The eSprinter had already started series production last year, one of the main criteria for candidacy. Here too, the manufacturer relies on two optional battery sizes, with a DC fast charger available as an option. The eSprinter was followed by its corporate sibling, the Mercedes-Benz Vito, which received a thorough update with a new clean diesel engine compliant with the latest Euro6d Temp emissions standard, also aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. In fourth place was the new Ford Transit with its Active & Trail derivatives, which offer a cost-effective and fuel-efficient traction aid for more robust tasks, combined with efficiency-enhancing 48-volt mild hybrid technology. 

"Congratulations to the PSA Group for its consistent development and investment in producing an excellent range of electrically powered vans that exceed expectations and demand no compromises from the user," commented Jury Chairman Jarlath Sweeney from Ireland.

Xavier Peugeot, Senior Vice President of PSA's Light Commercial Vehicles Business Unit, expressed pride and happiness in receiving the prestigious award.

"The award underscores the success of our compact vans and the correctness of the electrification strategy we have set up for our entire LCV range, which requires no compromises for our customers," Peugeot continued.

The 2021 edition of IVOTY is dedicated to the recently and unexpectedly deceased Swedish jury member and highly esteemed and renowned colleague Anders Karlsson. The award is to be handed over to Xavier Peugeot early in the new year at the brand's headquarters in Paris.

Jury sees "end of range anxiety" and parity with combustion engines

Some jurors praised the fact that for the first time an E-Van had broken the 300-kilometer mark. They also commended the excellent handling and the extremely low noise level of the E-Van due to the electric drive.

"With the electric version of their compact van, the PSA Group gives a huge boost to electromobility in commercial applications and drives the democratization and scaling of emission-free transport. From now on, there is a business case and the total cost of ownership is at least on par with a diesel," lauded the German IVOTY jury member Johannes Reichel, head of testing & technology at the HUSS-VERLAG Munich's LOGISTRA medium, praising the winning trio.

Not least, there are no compromises in payload (up to 1,275 kg), variants (4.6 to 6.6 m³), and wheelbases, with a combi version now available for shuttle services or mixed users. Another juror stated that with the E-Van from France, the end of "range anxiety" had arrived, with the range being more than sufficient for usual daily tasks of light commercial vehicles. Additionally, the platform perfects the strategy of integrating electric and conventional drives on one basis, enabling scale effects and thus a favorable price.