At Professional Electrician we’ve rounded up the latest and greatest offerings from some of the biggest and best van and car manufacturers, all in one place. And there’s a bit of something for everyone! So, whether you’re in dire need of an upgrade, looking to add a new addition to a fleet, or just curious to see what’s on the market, look no further.
The Peugeot Partner
Work vans and commercial vehicles are much more than just transportation for the tradesperson. Depending on where and what kind of job it is, you could find yourself in your van far more than you might have initially thought. And while its vital to make sure your van can get you from point A to point B, its important that your van works for you and your business, too.
The award-winning Peugeot Partner van does just that, featuring Peugeot’s innovative i-Cockpit® with a head-up display and a compact steering wheel, DAB radio, remote central locking with deadlocks, automatic headlights and daylight running lights. The Peugeot Partner van comes with a 1,001kg maximum payload and GRIP editions include the innovative Overload Indicator as standard, with the technology a £240 optional extra on other specification levels.
Peugeot’s Overload Indicator has been developed to ensure drivers avoid overloading their vans, a problem which can have expensive and dangerous consequences. The two-stage system is available on the award-winning Peugeot Partner and warns drivers when they are within 10% of the maximum gross vehicle weight and providing a second alert if they exceed the vehicle’s limit. The alerts flash up at the rear of the van and on the i-Cockpit® display to ensure drivers have maximum visibility when both loading the van and when they are about to set off.
To showcase the simplicity of its Overload Indicator, Peugeot challenged a team of plumbers and a team of electricians to load a Partner van as close to its maximum payload as possible with a variety of trade materials, including paint pots, roofing supplies and tiles without setting off the Overload Indicator.
The electricians came out on top, getting closest to the 983kg payload of the Peugeot Partner GRIP BlueHDi 100 S&S 5-speed manual used in the challenge, by packing 917kg of goods inside – including the three-strong team.
Watch the Overload Indicator in action and see how easy it is to overload a light commercial vehicle (LCV) here.
The Renault ZOE Van
For those interested in smaller commercial vehicles and who are looking to foray into the world of electric vehicles, Renault PRO+ has revealed the newest addition to its growing LCV range – the All-New ZOE Van.
Based on the award-winning and successful New ZOE passenger car, the latest addition to Renault’s expanding Z.E. PRO+ range offers more choice than ever for commercial vehicle buyers looking to switch to an electric van.
With the same generous 245-mile WLTP range as the ZOE car, the new zero-emissions LCV delivers versatility and reassurance to commercial buyers keen to experience the benefits of running an electric commercial vehicle. That’s thanks to the All-ZOE Van utilising the powerful 52kWh battery and 80kW R110 motor.
There’s a choice of Business and Business+ trim levels in line with other Renault PRO+ commercial vehicles, offering an impressive level of desirable equipment, including a rapid charging option for both models for added convenience.
The All-New ZOE Van’s practical load area has been created by removing the rear seats of the existing ZOE passenger car. A completely flat load floor and mesh bulkhead behind the front seats ensures the load area is safe and secure and usable as possible, while the rear doors bring an extra dimension of versatility, enabling access via the side of the vehicle. For added security, the rear windows are disabled and covered in an opaque film.
A total load volume of one cubic metre is on offer in the All-New ZOE Van, thanks to 1,205mm of length in the load bay and maximum load width of 1,110mm. The ability to make use of the side doors for ease of access boosts flexibility for awkwardly shaped or smaller items.
Maximum payload is rated at up to 387kg (Business) meaning small but bulky items can be carried in the load area of the ZOE Van with ease. All ZOE Vans feature protective rubber flooring in the load area with four anchorage points on the floor.
To view the technical specifications of the ZOE Van and to view the features of the Business and Business+ trim levels and other details, visit the Renault website here.
Trail and Active Models for Ford Transit and Tourneo Range
Ford has announced new rough-road-capable Trail and Active variants for the Transit and Tourneo ranges, ideal for those working and travelling over tougher terrains or in harsher climates.
The new Trail model
The new Transit Trail and Transit Custom Trail models have been designed specifically to operate in tougher working environments, with the enhanced traction of a new mechanical limited-slip differential (mLSD) on front-wheel drive Transit and Transit Custom variants, and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive on Transit.
Exclusive exterior and interior upgrades further ensure the Transit Trail and Transit Custom Trail are equipped to deliver comfort and capability in challenging conditions without compromising practicality. Full leather seating as standard brings additional luxury, durability and wipe-clean flexibility to the cabin, for instance. Air conditioning, power-foldable door mirrors and auto lighting are also standard, as is Ford’s Quickclear heated windscreen, which allows an easy departure in freezing conditions.
To get a closer look at the new Ford Transit Trail model and its striking design features, watch the video here.
The new Active model
The new Tourneo Custom Active model adds SUV style and enhanced practicality with unique design features and a revised specification to suit the demands of both private and business users. Offering more space and load carrying capacity to enable adventurous lifestyles, the new Active models follow the success of the Ford Fiesta Active and Focus Active passenger vehicles.
The versatile Tourneo Custom Active’s interior can easily be reconfigured to reflect users’ demands. The flexible seats can move to give passengers more room or increase luggage space, increased further in the long wheelbase variant. The seats can also be reversed to create a conference seating layout or removed entirely for more luggage space. The seat mounting points can then be used to mount in-vehicle racks to carry bicycles more safely.
To take a closer look at the Tourneo Active model, watch the video here.
The new Trail and Active models also benefit from the significant enhancements introduced to the Transit, Transit Custom and Tourneo Custom ranges during 2019, with more fuel efficient 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel and EcoBlue Hybrid 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain options, alongside FordPass Connect modem technology for improved vehicle utilisation, and new interior features and driver assistance technologies.
Be sure to keep an eye out for Part Two of our Van Round Up, where a new batch of LCVs will be looked at!
