Electric van, public charger

ericonabike

Hi, hope you can help. I work for a local charity and our van needs replacing. We hope to get a grant to do this and would like to go electric. But we have no chance of getting a charger where it is stored, which is on a grace and favour basis. So, would it be realistic to run it using only public chargers?
The van we are looking at will not accept ultra fast charging, so max 50 kph, or whatever the units are. 
We use it at most three times a week, in the last two years clicking up just 2,000 miles each year. Does anyone have experience or knowledge they can share to assist? 

born_again

You could, but it will not be that cheap at the moment.
Any chance one of the drivers or staff could get a wall box fitted at home & charge at their home?

Or even see if a local company who has chargers would let you use that?

Grumpy_chap

What is the nature of the activity that the charity undertakes?
It strikes me that for 2k miles per year, acquiring an EV van will be an expensive option and tie up a large amount of capital.  The charity may need to demonstrate that this is the best use of funds.

ericonabike

Fair point. But it ties in with our credentials as a disability cycling charity. We use the van to take our fleet to schools, care homes, hospice etc 

Car_54

In my (albeit limited) experience using public charging was a PITA. Even if they are readily available in your area, the process may take up quite a lot of your volunteers' time, which I don't imagine will be popular.

Veteransaver

On that sort of mileage it will probably only need 10-15 full charges a year.Is there any electric supply available where it is parked, you could just use a slow 3 pin charger, if it isn't used for days on end it doesn't really matter that it's slow.

Bigwheels1111

Complete madness going EV, especially a van. Without a home charger it’s to expensive to charge and run.
My local chemist jumped in head first.
Go green and save money, Ha.
That did not work out.
It’s a small Renault van that does 90 miles local if they are having a good day, on its 3rd motor/gearbox.
2 drivers seats and multiple other breakdowns.
2 chargers either side of the road to the shop, both are out of order every week.

Unless a van is a must I would get an MG5 Estate as will do 200 miles on a full charge locally.
Or Citroen e-C4 as are very cheap, one year old cars have lost 12k-15k in value.

Neil49

Grumpy_chap said:

What is the nature of the activity that the charity undertakes?
It strikes me that for 2k miles per year, acquiring an EV van will be an expensive option and tie up a large amount of capital.  The charity may need to demonstrate that this is the best use of funds.

I have to agree. I would be reluctant to donate time or funds to a charity only to see them squander the money on an EV regardless of the fact that it is in line with your credentials. 

I've worked for a charity in the past and was dismayed at how hard earned funds were sometimes used. 

Spend your money on supporting the disabled people that the charity is for, not on a vanity project to make yourselves feel good. 

QrizB

Neil49 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

What is the nature of the activity that the charity undertakes?
It strikes me that for 2k miles per year, acquiring an EV van will be an expensive option and tie up a large amount of capital.  The charity may need to demonstrate that this is the best use of funds.

I have to agree. I would be reluctant to donate time or funds to a charity only to see them squander the money on an EV regardless of the fact that it is in line with your credentials.

OP seems to think there's a grant available for an electric van, and presumably not for a petrol/diesel/LPG one.

Bigwheels1111 said:

Unless a van is a must I would get an MG5 Estate as will do 200 miles on a full charge locally.

Or Citroen e-C4 as are very cheap, one year old cars have lost 12k-15k in value.

I'm not sure how the OP is meant to fit a fleet of bicycles into either of those.

Bigwheels1111

QrizB said:

Neil49 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

What is the nature of the activity that the charity undertakes?
It strikes me that for 2k miles per year, acquiring an EV van will be an expensive option and tie up a large amount of capital.  The charity may need to demonstrate that this is the best use of funds.

I have to agree. I would be reluctant to donate time or funds to a charity only to see them squander the money on an EV regardless of the fact that it is in line with your credentials.

OP seems to think there's a grant available for an electric van, and presumably not for a petrol/diesel/LPG one.

Bigwheels1111 said:

Unless a van is a must I would get an MG5 Estate as will do 200 miles on a full charge locally.

Or Citroen e-C4 as are very cheap, one year old cars have lost 12k-15k in value.

I'm not sure how the OP is meant to fit a fleet of bicycles into either of those.

I think I read the post, just read it again, no push bikes, fridge freezers or ovens mentioned.
To be honest no van size either.
Maybe that could update us with a size, that would help.
My point is that it’s nice to get on the green bandwagon, but with limited chargers and the charging price a longer range vehicle could be a better option. Even if not a van.

daveyjp

LEVC panel van based on the London black cab. EV with on board range extender engine.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202308160864866?advertising-location=at_vans