Vauxhall research says – charge your electric van during breakfast

Vauxhall crunched the numbers from a survey of 1,000 van drivers who work as tradespeople or in home repairs and maintenance.  

The survey participants, which included a variety of professions from builders to decorators and gardeners, also noted that their vehicle is usually left stationary for up to four hours per day while they are at work.  

Those unable to reach a rapid charger would also be able to take advantage of their vehicle’s downtime, for example by utilising on-street chargers.  

The study found that the typical van owner stops twice per week for a morning or breakfast break, with 60% stopping for between 15-45 minutes – time which can be used to charge an electric vehicle from the UK’s network of 16,259 rapid and ultra-rapid charging points.  

Of the electric van drivers surveyed, almost three quarters (73%) already stop at least twice per week to use public rapid chargers. The survey participants also told Vauxhall that their vehicle is typically left stationary for up to four hours per day while they are at work.  

Those unable to reach a rapid charger would also be able to take advantage of their vehicle’s down time, for example by using on-street chargers. Through its Electric Streets campaign, Vauxhall is working with charge point operators to help accelerate the number of accessible residential on-street charge points, supporting businesses to go electric by helping van drivers to top up both when they are attending residential jobs and at home.  

On average, tradespeople receive nine callouts or bookings per week which require them to visit a customer’s address and 70% of electric van drivers said they think it is likely that customers would let them charge their electric van at their address while working, with 78% having done this on at least one occasion and 15% doing it often. 

Customers with a home wallbox stand to benefit from this arrangement, with three quarters of van drivers saying they would be happy to offer an average discount of £24 for permission to charge their van at a customer’s address while they work. 

 Vauxhall said the research allays concerns that charging would take too long and eat into valuable working hours; one of the main reasons cited by 31% of petrol and diesel van drivers for not owning an electric van.  

Steve Catlin, Managing Director, Vauxhall, said: “Our research demonstrates how electric vans can easily fit into tradespeople’s lifestyle, whether charging from home overnight, topping up from a rapid charger during a morning breakfast break, or charging while on the job.  

"With most tradespeople covering less weekly mileage than the range of a Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, they can comfortably meet their charging needs – all without losing valuable working hours.”