Electric Ducato saves £13,000 compared to diesel!
Fiat Professional have released the order book for the long awaited electric Fiat E-Ducato and prices start at £47,675 excluding VAT (after the Government PiVG). Its a welcome addition to the battery electric large van sector especially as its rated at both 3.5t and 4.25t GVW and as a chassis cab.
Fiat E-Ducato Battery / Motor
There are two battery sizes available on the E-Ducato a 47kWh or 79kWh and they are both options on the whole vehicle line-up, whilst there are two battery sizes the 90kW (122bhp) motor with 280Nm @12000rpm of torque remains a constant for both.
Fiat E-Ducato Range
As far as range is concerned we will be concentrating on the van models at 3.5 tonne as this will be the volume market and the range varies dependent on whether you are looking at the city or combined figures. Looking at the city figures ( these are the best) with smallest 47kWh battery on the ‘smallest van’ it is 146 miles (235 km) and for the largest van with the larger 75kWh battery this increases to 234 miles (345km). If we then look at the combined figures, which many argue is probably a better reflection of the real world then we have 108 miles (174 kms) and 161 miles ( 260 kms) respectively .The E-Ducato reaches a top speed of 62mph and takes under 6 seconds to go from zero to 30mph.
There are three driving mode options – Normal which gives optimal balance between performance and economy, Eco for an increase in the available range by managing acceleration response in order to reduce energy consumption and deactivation of air conditioning. There is also the Power mode for facing full-load missions.
A fourth, ‘Turtle mode’, is activated when battery power reaches near-to zero percent. The vehicle alerts the user and activates a specific driving mode with strongly reduced performance to extend the remaining range.
Range is maximised in E-Ducato through its regenerative braking system, with the van storing energy as it is driven downhill. This ensures range isn’t wasted and is stored for when needed most.
Fiat E-Ducato Charging
Its impressive charging time of zero to fully charged, takes just 2 hours and 25 minutes, enabling businesses to recharge and get back on the road in the quickest time possible. The 47kWh battery is available with AC or DC charging capability.
E-Ducato with the 79kWh battery takes just 4 hours to charge from zero to 100 per cent and is also available with AC or DC charging capability.
Exclusively for E-Ducato, there is also both 7kW (with 47kWh) and 11kW (with 79kWh) on-board chargers as well as a mode 3 charging cable.
Fiat E-Ducato Payloads / Loadspace
These figures still do not impede on the versatility of E-Ducato – it delivers a best-in-class payload of up to 1,885kg and maintains the same best-in-class volumes as ICE Ducato of between 10m3 and 17m3.
The goods van is available in three different heights (H1 2309mm, H2 2579mm, H3 2814mm), three different lengths (L2 5413mm, L3 5998mm, L4 6363mm) and three different wheelbase sizes (L2 3450mm, L3 4035mm, L4 4035XLmm). The chassis cab is offered with a choice of three different lengths (L2 5358mm, L3 5708mm, L4 5943mm) and four different wheelbase sizes (L2 3450mm, L2.5 3800mm, L3 4035mm, L4 4035XLmm), whilst the passenger version can be ordered with seating for between 5 and 9 passengers.
E-Ducato specifications
E-Ducato is available in standard and eTecnico trim levels and the standard trim includes a 5-inch touchscreen with DAB Radio and Bluetooth®, automatic climate control, tablet holder, USB charging port, fixed full width steel bulkhead, electric heated mirrors, convertors plug, LED lighting in load area, twin leaf rear suspension, lane departure warning system, advanced emergency braking, Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), High Beam Recognition (HBR), Rain & Dusk Sensors (RDS), Electronic stability control (ESC) and driver’s air bag.
The eTecnico has all the above but replaces the 5-inch touchscreen with a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and SatNav, rear parking camera with reverse parking sensors, blind spot and rear cross path detection, embroidered headrests, front fog lights, heated electrically folding door mirrors, LED daytime running lights, leather steering wheel and chrome air vent surrounds.
Mopar Connect
Every E-Ducato receives a 12 month subscription to Mopar Connect. This smartphone application provides help 24 hours a day via its crash assistance service, to identify the impact and send the GPS position of E-Ducato to its operations centre.
Mopar Connect Theft Assistance is able to detect unauthorised towing or tampering of the device and can receive assistance from a my:Assistant operator. After having reported the theft, the operators will provide the GPS coordinates and will immobilise the engine when the vehicle stops to facilitate recovery. Roadside Assistance is also available via Mopar Connect.
Fiat E-Ducato Pricing
The lead in price of £47,675 is for the standard trim 3.5t short wheelbase low roof (L1H1) van with a 7kW on-board charger and 47kWh battery. Going to the other extreme on the 3.5t van range, the eTecnico extralong and high roof (XLH3) with an 11kW on-board charger and 79kWh battery is £65,570. As with all electric commercial vehicle prices VAT is excluded but the Plug in Vehicle Grant included which is a maximum currently of 20% of vehicle price to a limit of £8000.
Total Operating Costs
Perhaps one of the most interesting ‘facts’ quoted by the Fiat Professional team is not so much the comments about lower running costs but their belief the E-Ducato offers real-world fuel savings of approximately £13,000 to a comparable diesel version running 95,000 miles, whilst servicing costs are over 40 per cent lower than a similarly sized diesel commercial vehicle.