Launched officially on 16 April 2025, Mercedes-Benz’s trio of battery-electric commercial vehicles is a seismic shift in how we think about vans.

All three now combine zero tailpipe emissions with that polished Mercedes-Benz engineering the brand has become known for.

The eCitan is as nimble as it is quiet, perfect for navigating tight alleyways or heartland HDB blocks, with a practical payload and an electric range that ensures you don’t need to keep checking the battery percentage like it’s your bank account balance at the end of the month.

The eVito retains all the practicality of its ICE sibling but swaps diesel grumble for a refined silence. Range anxiety is hardly a concern, especially with Singapore’s growing fast-charging infrastructure. You’ll spend more time loading parcels than waiting at a charger.

Finally, the eSprinter is the heavyweight champ, offering cavernous cargo space, modular conversions, and enough electric range to ferry across town and back without breaking a sweat.

Each model supports fast DC charging, with flexible configurations tailored to meet industry-specific demands. 

With built-in telematics, fleet managers can monitor vehicle health, optimise routes, and manage charging cycles from a dashboard.

Safety, too, is baked into the formula. Expect driver assistance systems such as active brake assist, lane-keeping support, and blind spot monitoring. 

“Our newly expanded line-up of fully electric commercial vehicles demonstrates Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to accelerating electric mobility in Singapore,” said Marcel Luis Mustelier Perez, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Singapore.

From taxis and buses to last-mile cargo vans, the country is laying the groundwork for a cleaner, quieter urban landscape. And with Mercedes-Benz now staking its claim in the electric commercial segment, the future is no longer some vague promise on the horizon.

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Built on China’s pioneering MILA (Modular, Intelligent, Lightweight, Architecture) platform, the Maxus eDeliver 5 is on par specs-wise with some of the best electric commercial vehicles on the market.

Equipped with a 64 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, the eDeliver 5 boasts a class-leading WLTP-City range of up to 489 kilometres. This capability addresses the persistent challenge of range anxiety, making it a dependable option for businesses with extensive delivery requirements.

The electric motor delivers 120 kW (160 bhp) and 240 Nm of torque, enabling the vehicle to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.7 seconds.

In addition to its impressive range, the Maxus eDeliver 5 supports both AC and DC charging at 11 kW and 70 kW, respectively. With DC fast charging, businesses can recharge the battery from 20% to 80% in just 36 minutes.

The vehicle also comes with a robust 8-year or 200,000-kilometre battery warranty, offering peace of mind for fleet operators.

Slotting between the eDeliver 3 and eDeliver 7 in the Maxus lineup, the eDeliver 5 has a balance between generous cargo capacity and compact exterior dimensions. It features a class-leading 6,600-litre cargo space and a maximum payload of 1,270 kg.

Practicality is a key highlight, with features like an ultra-low cargo floor height of 532 mm, wide pallet-friendly wheel-arch spacing, and accessible double sliding side doors.

Secure cargo management is further enhanced with binding rings and 60:40 split rear doors with 180-degree hinges.

At just 1,960 mm in height and with an unladen weight of 1,780 kg, the vehicle is compatible with HDB car parks and loading bays.

The eDeliver 5 comes equipped with 12 advanced safety features, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, and a 360˚ Surround View Camera.

For drivers, comfort is not overlooked, as the vehicle offers seating for three adults, a ventilated driver’s seat, and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

With a competitive starting price of S$54,000 (without COE), the Maxus eDeliver 5 is available for viewing and test drives at the Cycle & Carriage Electric Commercial Vehicle Hub. 

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Cycle & Carriage Singapore recently unveiled the updated ë-Berlingo, showcasing its advancements over its predecessor, which first turned heads in 2022.

This latest iteration of Citroën’s popular electric light commercial vehicle (e-LCV) boasts a 3,900-litre cargo capacity, a 100-litre improvement over the previous model. The redesign, featuring slimmer interior wheel arches and a low cargo floor height of 160mm, makes loading and unloading easy.

The widened space between the arches ensures practicality for diverse business needs, further enhanced by a robust payload capacity of 751kg.

The Extenso system, with its modular folding passenger bench seat, allows businesses to optimise space for passengers or cargo.

This includes extending the load length to accommodate items up to 3,440mm and transforming the central seatback into a writing table for mobile office functionality.

The ë-Berlingo now boasts a 50 kWh battery, delivering a range of 354km (up to 492km under WLTP City conditions). This is a significant jump from its predecessor’s 293km range. Leveraging lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, the battery is built for longevity and frequent full charges.

Charging is equally versatile: a wallbox charger can fully replenish the battery in 7.5 hours with a 7.4 kW charge point, while a 100 kW DC fast charger can take it from 0 to 80% in just 30 minutes.

Its 136bhp motor delivers an energy consumption rate of 17.3 kWh/100km, making the ë-Berlingo a frontrunner for businesses keen on reducing their carbon footprint without compromising performance.

Inside, seats with denser foam and improved back support ensure a plush ride, while a six-way adjustable driver’s seat offers ergonomic comfort for long hours on the road. The refreshed cabin features a fully digital dashboard, a multifunction steering wheel, and a 10-inch HD infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Externally, the vehicle proudly debuts Citroën’s refreshed oval logo on its updated grille, blending modern design with its trademark practicality.

Dawn Pan, Chief Operating Officer of Multi-Franchise Operations at Cycle & Carriage, encapsulated the launch’s significance: “We are excited to bring the latest ë-Berlingo to the market, offering our customers an efficient, versatile, and comfortable electric vehicle that meets the evolving demands of urban logistics.”

Priced competitively at $57,999 (without COE), the Citroën ë-Berlingo is available for viewing and test drives at the Cycle & Carriage Electric Commercial Vehicle Hub. Businesses can purchase outright or explore flexible leasing options.

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How Does ACOTY Define This Class?

As the title states, only commercial vehicles can qualify for this award. No many the powertrain type (petrol, diesel, or electric) all are welcome.

Interestingly, we only managed to test ICE vehicles this time round.

Meet The Contenders

One of the most iconic trucks ever built, the Ford Ranger stands tall as one of Ford’s best offerings. Designed as the “baby” equivalent to the famous F-150, the Ranger still packs a punch and offers tons of functionality.

The Volkswagen Caddy is no stranger to the commercial vehicle market. A staple in markets across the world, the Caddy has proved invaluable to anything from light goods work to heavy pallet-ed deliveries.

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Commercial Vehicle
Volkswagen Caddy

The winner is the Volkswagen Caddy with 365 points. The Caddy ticks a ton of boxes, and is just the right amount of practicality, comfort, and efficiency. Big areas that contributed to its overall victory.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the Volkswagen Caddy for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2025 Best Commercial Vehicle!

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Need a high-top panel van to cart taller, more bulky cargo around while going fully electric? Well, Maxus has you covered there with the eDeliver 9 fully-electric van, now available for purchase through authorised dealer Cycle & Carriage.

Both rear doors of this electric van swing open 180-degrees to reveal a cargo compartment of 9.7 cubic metres that’s capable of hauling 1,000kg of cargo.

Featuring a high cabin ceiling measuring 1.792-metres from cargo bed to roof, most folks can stand upright within the van’s cargo compartment during loading and unloading operations, going a long way toward aiding one’s well-being.

Furthermore, sensitive shipments can be placed upright instead of laid out across the bed, so cargo can be delivered to customers safe and sound.

Its high roofline also means that the eDeliver 9 can be configured for other functions, such as an ambulance or a mobile office for on-location media coverage or maintenance operations.

Add to that large sliding doors on each side and this van becomes truly versatile as a mobile operations base.

Carting cargo around requires good shove, and the eDeliver 9 ermmmm delivers with 201hp and 310Nm of torque, powered by a 72kWh battery pack that’s said to go from 20-80% charge in just 36 minutes at a DC charging station that delivers at least 72kWh of charge.

At a claimed 31kWh/100km or 3.23km/kWh, range from the battery pack is around 230km on a full charge. Not bad considering this electric van weighs 2,500kg unladen and 3,500kg fully loaded.

Up front, the driver’s cabin is spacious and offers seating for two passengers. Also included are driver aids like Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and Lane Change Assist, front and rear sensors to make manoeuvring in tight spaces easier, and auto emergency braking to avoid pile-ups on highways during rush hour.

The Maxus eDeliver 9 is available at $93,999 excluding COE and CVES grant (price accurate at the time of this article.) Contact Cycle & Carriage for more information.

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If you want to do your bit for the environment while also keeping running costs low, an electric van seems like an obvious choice. This is where vans like the Opel Combo-e come into play. It is ready to serve alongside its siblings – the Citroën e-Berlingo, Peugeot e-Partner and Toyota Proace City Electric.

Why do I say siblings? Well, all four vans were engineered together as part of a deal between Toyota and the Stellantis Group, which owns Citroën, Peugeot and Opel. That means the Combo-e shares many of its oily components with the EV vans from those brands.

So what’s it like zipping around town in this small EV van? 

Form meets function

The Opel Combo-e may be classified as small on paper, but its 2,975mm wheelbase is still decently large for our roads. It has a maximum load length of 1817mm, the width across the body is 1229mm between the wheel arches, and internal height stands at 1243mm.

This translates to up to 4,400 litres of cargo space, and there’s even a small ski hatch that can open up, enabling long and thin cargo to fit snugly.

Up front, the Combo-e doesn’t disappoint. Storage abounds in the front, a thoughtful embrace for a small van. For most businesses, making an electric van practical will come down to as little downtime as possible, which is where charge times are crucial.

In that regard, the Combo-e’s capacity to take a 100kW charge from a rapid charging station is crucial in making this a usable van in the real world. A suitable DC charging station will give up to 80% of battery capacity in just 30 minutes, compared with a 7.4kW AC wall box charger which will see the entire battery charged up in 7.5 hours.

There aren’t many places in Singapore where DC chargers can reach 100kW, but charging infrastructure is slowly catching up to the vehicles.

The range is the same too, with official figures suggesting the Combo-e can take you up to 293km between charges. In practice, I managed to garner around 240km of range, which is respectable in our hot and humid climate, meaning the AC and battery cooling systems have to work overtime in order to keep everything nice and optimal.

Thoughtful design language

As we step inside the Opel Combo-e, it’s as if comfort and technology converge in a symphony of thoughtful design. The interior mirrors its regular Opel Combo sibling, with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard, complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

Adjusting to your ideal driving position is a breeze, thanks to the six-way adjustable driver’s seat and a telescopic steering wheel that adjusts freely.

Ample creature comforts come as part of the package. The Combo-e pampers you with great air conditioning, Bluetooth DAB radio, cruise control with speed limiter, and keyless entry and start. It doesn’t stop there – parking sensors, automatic headlights, and a multi-function steering wheel come together to create an enticing ensemble of features.

The cabin itself exudes a sense of durability and elegance, with high-quality materials and a play of colours that adds a touch of vibrancy and keeps things interesting.

Brisk on the streets 

Silence isn’t just golden; it’s electric. While some electric vans struggle with wind noise due to their boxy bodies and oversized mirrors, the Combo-e reigns supreme in delivering a quiet, serene ride, thanks to sound-deadening materials and modestly sized door mirrors.

A hint of whirring from the electric motor adds to the symphony, a whisper compared to the diesel engines of its counterparts. Yet, beneath this tranquillity lies a fierce force of power. With 134bhp and a hearty 260Nm of torque available at the mere touch of the accelerator, the Combo-e proves its mettle when going off the line. With no cargo in tow, the van can rock the century sprint in 9.2 seconds. Although, you will hear that old familiar speed limit beeping noise trodding away while you do so.

But it’s not just about speed; it’s about control. Handling is a masterpiece of its own, thanks to the clever placement of the battery beneath the floor. This lowers the centre of gravity, resulting in a rather planted driving experience. The Combo-e dances with accurate steering, robust grip, and a harmonious balance that can even give some cars a run for their money.

Setting the stage

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the Opel Combo-e’s landscape of competition. In the world of electric vans, it stands rather on its own. Rivals for the Combo-e are few and far between, despite the small electric van segment being the most mature in terms of products available and market size. Aside from its siblings, the Renault Kangoo E-Tech is its only direct competitor, while slightly larger alternatives can be found in the Maxus E Deliver 3.

From practical dimensions to thoughtful design, the Combo-e is poised as a great entry figure to the world of commercial EVs.

Technical Specifications

Opel Combo-e Electric (With Sliding Door Window) 

Engine: Single Electric Motor
Power: 100kW (134bhp)
Torque: 260Nm
Gearbox: Single-Speed (A)
0-100km/h: 9.2 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 150km/h
Battery Capacity: 50 kWh
Drive Range: 293 km (claimed)
Energy Consumption: 5.52 km/kWh (claimed)

Price: S$50,000 without COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Opel Singapore 

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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I realize the irony of someone named ‘Vivek’ writing an article with its title containing the word ‘Vivace’, but just… just.. just run with it for now okay? Electric vans are becoming more commonplace on our streets today, and with good reason. Take the Opel Vivaro-e for example. It’s quiet, comfortable and peppy. More on the pep later on.

The Vivaro-e’s closest competitor is the Citroën e-Dispatch, which is pretty much the same van from parent group Stellantis at around $4,000 more in price. The Mercedes-Benz eVito 112 Long is a little larger and priced at around $45,000 more but with a smaller 60kWh battery pack as compared to the Vivaro-e’s 75kWh energy storage unit. This means the Vivaro-e is the most affordable electric van of the trio.

Outside

The first items of note are the LED daytime running lights and front fog lamps embedded in the front bumper’s lower black trim, offering a more modern touch and additional illumination in inclement driving conditions respectively. The grille is also a nice touch, with the width-wise bar seeming to merge into the inner headlight surround on either side. Simple, neat yet classy.

One needs to remain cognizant of the Vivaro-e’s dimensions. At 4,959mm long, drive it akin to a long-wheelbase luxury vehicle and you’ll be fine. It will fit in multistorey HDB carparks with a minimum height limit of 1.9 metres with its 1,902mm height, and its width of 1,920mm will see it fit snugly into a parking spot.

Rearward visibility is somewhat available owing to a glass panel in the bulkhead partition inside the van, but most of the time, those large wing mirrors will be the primary way to keep track of vehicles and objects behind. They do a good job of this and the test van also had tiny blind spot mirrors stuck onto each wing mirror for better kerbside visibility – a feature I appreciated greatly when manoeuvring the Vivaro-e as close as possible to kerbs to give Mom an easier time getting in and out of the passenger seat.

16-inch steel wheels are shod with commercial-vehicle 215/65R16C Michelin Agilis 3 rubber, and this means one does not have to worry about the risk of inadvertently grinding up expensive alloy rims when parking as close as possible to a kerb either.

Inside

Now we come to the business end of the Vivaro-e – 6.1 cubic metres or 6,100 litres of cargo compartment, which is rated for a maximum of 1,000kg of goods haulage. The rear doors open outwards, through which palletised cargo can be loaded via forklift.

The side doors slide open wide allowing cargo to be manually loaded and unloaded. However, this test drive was done with the van unladen, since neither Sean nor I know (yet) how to operate a forklift.

Cargo operations completed, the next order for the van driver and assistant is to get in and leave for the next destination. This is made easy by the doors that open wide, and door pockets that can swallow large water bottles for that refreshing drink before driving off.

A shallow step makes ingress and egress relatively simple, although a grab handle at the A-pillar would have been appreciated. Not an issue for me at 1.82 metres tall because all I had to do was literally have one foot on the ground while sliding my bottom onto the driver’s seat bottom with my longer legs.

However, Mom, who’s a petite 1.52-metre tall and 79 years old had to use this step to rather easily get in and out of the passenger’s seat from the kerbside, although she did lament the lack of the aforementioned grab handle when entering and exiting at road level.

The driver’s seat features sufficient adjustment fore, aft and for backrest tilt, although with my driving position with the seat all the way back, the backrest had to be upright since it was right against the bulkhead partition. No matter though, for the seat is comfortable enough.

The steering wheel falls nicely to hand, and can also be adjusted for reach and rake. Analogue instruments with a digital display are simple and clearly laid out. Automatic headlights and wipers are standard fit, as is cruise control of the non-adaptive variety for those pesky 70km/h average speed camera zones.

The infotainment features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for smartphone connectivity, and the audio system, although basic, plays nice and loud without being tiresome. Bluetooth connectivity is also here, although using it requires a bit of a think. One needs to click the ‘phone’ button on the infotainment with one’s phone on pairing mode and click through in the subsequent screen to pair a new device. Removing the pairing required the same screen to be brought up with the phone disconnected.

Physical climate controls are a welcome relief in this day and age of touchscreen everything, and there are a couple of 12-volt sockets for powering devices and many cubbyholes for storage, including a secret compartment under the passenger’s seat.

Though simple, everything in here appears to be solidly put together to endure many years and miles of demanding commercial cargo haulage duties.

Driving

Being electric, the Vivaro-e glides along quietly and smoothly. Its suspension is well set up to deal with road imperfections and never once did I find myself grimacing at the ride quality. Furthermore, this van can handle corners and curves well, to the point of surprising some sedans when it takes them on the inside lane.

Where things get a bit more noisy is when the tarmac turns coarse, like certain stretches of highways for example. Add to that the speed warning chime that goes off at 71km/h (thankfully not lower), and the infotainment system then comes into play to drown most of the added sounds out.

Parking the van is also relatively simple thanks to those large wing mirrors, stuck-on blind spot mirrors and Rear Park Assist system that beeps audibly and shows the reverse camera’s image on the infotainment screen to warn when obstacles are close.

Power and torque from the electric motor driving the front wheels is more than adequate. During one of the test routes, I was trying to filter right whilst a rogue Toyota Hiace driver attempted to cut me off. Attempted, because a sharp prod on the accelerator caused considerable separation between the Vivaro-e and the hapless Hiace. Eat my electric dust!

Charging the van is also pretty straightforward. Drive head-in to a charge point, plug in and juice up. Opel quotes a 0-100% charge time of 1.5 hours at a 50kW DC charger. My experience at a 100kW DC charger saw the charge rate starting around 86kW with the van’s battery just below 50%, and this rate reduced to around 11kW as the batteries reached just over 90% with the whole process taking around 39 minutes.

Which then brings us on to energy consumption. The Vivaro-e is comparatively frugal because Opel quotes 23.3-29.5kWh/100km or 4.29-3.39km/kWh WLTP consumption, but I managed to better this number at 17kWh/100km or 5.9km/kWh over a test-driven 483km with the van unladen.

With a load on board, the energy consumption will invariably go up, but even then, given that your mileage may vary depending on use-case and driving style, the Vivaro-e’s frugality is impressive indeed for a vehicle its size. For those of us with range anxiety, the remaining range indicated on the dash can be trusted.

The Opel Vivaro-e may come across as simple and basic, but it appears to be built to handle the rough life of van-haulage duties. It rides well, accelerates surprisingly quickly and is easy to drive.

If you’re in the market for a van and have chargers close to your base of operations, seriously give the Vivaro-e a good look.

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

Technical Specifications

Opel Vivaro-e with Sliding Door Window
Power: 130hp
Torque: 260Nm
Battery: 75kW
Estimated Range (WLTP): 330km (claimed)
0-100km/h: 11.9 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 132km/h (claimed)
Energy Economy: 23.3-29.5kWh/100km or 4.29-3.39km/kWh (claimed)
Price: S$62,000 without COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Opel Singapore

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It’s not every day that an automotive journalist gets the opportunity to review a commercial vehicle, so when Citroën offered their e-Dispatch for a review drive, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play “man in a van” over a weekend. Add to that the fact that the last time I’d driven a van was in 2003, and was keen to get behind the wheel again for a spot of “commercial gallivanting” on our streets and highways.

The e-Dispatch’s closest competitor is the Opel Vivaro-e, which is basically the same van from parent group Stellantis but at around $4,000 lower in price. Other notable mentions in this category include the Mercedes-Benz eVito 112 Long at around $45,000 more but with a smaller 60kWh battery pack as compared to the e-Dispatch’s 75kWh. This then puts the French van in an interesting in-between position in the market.

Outside

Apart from the familiar Citroën chevrons adorning the nose, this van is… well…. van-esque. At 4,959mm long, one needs to manoeuvre the e-Dispatch as though it’s a long-wheelbase luxury vehicle and things will be fine. Standing at 1,902mm height means parking in most HDB multi-storey carparks is doable as long as the height limit is 1.9-metres or more, and its width of 1,920mm means it will fit snugly into a parking spot in said carpark.

Unpainted bumpers front and rear mean parking ‘incidents’ at commercial loading bays can be simply brushed off without too much heartache. Those large rear-view mirrors are necessary for driving the e-Dispatch around, and do a good job of offering sufficient rearward visibility since the standard in-cabin rear-view mirror was rendered useless in the test vehicle due to the solid bulkhead partition between the cargo area and the cabin. However, a reverse-camera rear-view mirror was fitted over the in-cabin mirror, which then made it gobs more useful than the standard item.

Commercial-vehicle 215/65R16C Michelin Agilis 3 rubber wrap around 16-inch steel wheels, and this means one does not have to worry about the risk of grinding up expensive alloy rims when parking as close as possible to a kerb either.

Inside

The rear doors swing outward to reveal the cavernous cargo hold of the e-Dispatch, which is rated to cart 1,000kg of payload. This area can also be accessed by either side door which opens wide, allowing cargo to be loaded and unloaded easily both from the rear and sides respectively. Palletised cargo can be loaded by forklift through the rear doors only.

Once cargo operations are done, it’s time to get behind the helm of the e-Dispatch and drive off to the next location. Getting in and out was pretty easy for me at 1.82 metres tall, and with my longer legs, all I had to do was literally have one foot on the ground while sliding my bottom onto the driver’s seat bottom. There’s a step at the sill to aid ingress and egress, and my Mom, who’s a petite 1.52-metre tall and 79 years old could rather easily get in and out of the passenger’s seat using this step.

Once inside, the sitting position is rather upright, as allowing more reclining would mean eating into valuable cargo space behind. This is not a problem, even for yours truly with spine issues because the seats are rather comfortable for longer journeys.

The cabin itself is basic. The steering wheel is large, necessitated by the greater amount of turns lock-to-lock required by the e-Dispatch for manoeuvring in tighter spaces, so do keep this in mind when negotiating parking spots, three-point turns and narrower up- and down-ramps in multi-storey carparks.

The gauge cluster is mostly analogue and is clear and legible. The digital display in the centre offers basic information and needs to be toggled through using a button on the wiper stalk on the right. Cruise control of the non-adaptive type is standard fit and useful while traversing Tanah Merah Coastal Road with its 70km/h average speed zone.

Like the gauge cluster, the infotainment system is also basic, but supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via a USB Type-A wired Mirror Screen function. Bluetooth connectivity is also there, although it is slow to pick up the previously-connected device and one needs to be patient until the paired device shows up.

Even pairing my phone required a bit of a think. I’d click the ‘phone’ button on the infotainment with my phone on pairing mode, and click through in the subsequent screen to pair a new device. Removing the pairing required the same screen to be brought up with my phone disconnected.

One annoyance, though, came courtesy of the parking brake switch’s placement, which I only found on the third day of driving courtesy of an eerie red glow coming from between the seat-bottoms while parked in a darker corner of a multi-storey carpark. Why couldn’t Citroën ditch the drive-mode selector and place the handbrake switch beside the drive selector?

Does this van really need ‘Eco’, ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’ drive modes when just one would do? It’s baffling and reeks of parts-bin rummaging to save cost vis-a-vis the e-Dispatch’s original internal-combustion engine’d underpinnings.

Otherwise, things appear solidly built to last many miles and years of commercial cargo conveyance duties at the hands of harried delivery drivers.

Driving

If there’s something the French are really good at most of the time, it’s suspension tuning. And so it is here with the e-Dispatch, whose ride was more well-controlled, comfortable and sophisticated instead of a crashy and jarring ride that one might be inclined to expect of a van. So was handling, with the Citroën remaining composed and confident around bends and corners and surprising some cars in the process.

Noise levels were very well contained, with the cabin remaining quiet most of the time except over the more coarse tarmac of certain stretches of highway. This, of course, comes courtesy of the fact that this van is electric, and being electric, its 260Nm of torque is available instantly and also managed to surprise some cars on the streets and highway. Speaking of the highway, the speed warning beeper will start sounding at 68km/h, but it can be mostly drowned out by the audio system, so things are bearable.

Charging the van, on the other hand, was a rather frustrating exercise. Both of SP Group’s 100kW DC charge points at King’s Centre refused to initialize and kept timing out, resulting in a wasted parking fee. Cell reception at the charger was also atrocious.

Over at Gardens By The Bay, one of SP Group’s 100kw DC charge points initiated its handshake with the van, but also timed out. Sweating profusely and praying pathetically to the deities of electric charging at this point, I plugged the second cable in and thankfully it worked. These are possibly firmware-update-related issues, but it does mean charging escapades may end in frustration for many.

Anyway, the charging process, once started, was pretty good with the e-Dispatch seeing up to 80kW charge rate at the 100kW DC charger. Citroën quotes 48 minutes to charge from 0-80%, and it felt quite accurate.

What also felt accurate was the remaining range indicator on the gauge cluster. Over a test-driven 597km, the e-Dispatch averaged 5.5km/kWh or 18.1kWh/100km, which is commendable. All drives were done with the van unladen and in ‘Normal’ drive mode.

It can be reasonably expected that this energy economy figure will be lower when loaded. Based on its 75kW battery pack, over 400km of unladen range is not out of the question, which is impressive. Citroën quotes 339km of WLTP combined range, and it sounds about right while laden.

All said, and aforementioned annoyances and frustrations aside, it is painfully obvious why electric motors make sense in vehicles such as cargo vans.

Instant torque and lack of engine noise maketh a more comfortable journey, and the Citroën e-Dispatch is a comfortable van indeed. It may be basic, but it’s there to get haulage work done and appears to be built to last.

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

Technical Specifications

Citroën e-Dispatch
Power: 130hp
Torque: 260Nm
Battery: 75kW
Estimated Range (WLTP): 339km (claimed)
0-100km/h: 11.9 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 132km/h (claimed)
Energy Economy: 24.6kWh/100km or 4.07km/kWh (claimed)
Price: S$66,000 without COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Citroen Singapore

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This partnership is part of SingPost’s target to transition to an all-electric delivery fleet by 2026. C&C has also collaborated with other companies like FairPrice Group and Uniqlo Singapore in the past, supplying new Citroën electric vans for a wide range of business needs.

On top of supplying SingPost with the vans, C&C will also conduct two new trials. The first is Mobile Servicing, which will see C&C technicians performing onsite servicing and maintenance for SingPost’s fleet at their headquarters, eliminating the need to drive the vans to a dedicated workshop. This will greatly streamline SingPost’s operations, further optimising operational efficiency whilst minimising downtime.

The second trial is Carbon Tracking and Reporting. Utilising telematics to transmit data from the vehicle, data will be sent to a central system for analysis and reporting. C&C will process this data to allow SingPost to analyse the amount of carbon they save, giving them accurate insights into their sustainability and decarbonisation efforts.

The trials are set to commence in June 2023, further underlining C&C’s scope as an e-Mobility service provider.

“We are excited to partner with SingPost on this important initiative,” said Ms Dawn Pan, Chief Operation Officer of Multi-Franchise Operations at Cycle & Carriage Singapore. “These illuminating trials will help us to continuously improve our services, and prove that we are not just any distributor. We also aim to help improve our clients’ operation efficiency and ease their journey to e-Mobility.”

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Hot on the heels of the new EQV, Mercedes-Benz has just announced the debut of the new eVito panel van.

With a new 60kWh battery and electric powertrain, the updated eVito touts a range of up to 327 kilometres (WLTP cycle)  alongside a suite of standard onboard active safety systems. These safety systems include Active Brake Assist, Attention Assist and Headlight Assist.

The eVito is Mercedes-Benz’s first commercial application of electrification in the Singapore market. It is essentially the commercial counterpart to the EQV, appealing to customers in commercial logistics and delivery services.

It isn’t all bare bones too, with 17-inch wheels,  a locking glove compartment, a wooden floor, and a multifunction steering wheel with a travel computer included as standard.

With the battery pack nestled under the floor, the eVito boasts up to 6.6 m³ of loading volume. The long variant will have a maximum payload of 940kg, while its extra-long sibling has to make do with just 900kg.

Both AC and DC charging is available, with DC charging carrying a maximum of 80 kW. This tops off the eVito from 10 to 80% in about 35 minutes. A single motor drives the front wheels of the eVito, with a peak power output of 85 kW (116bhp) and 360Nm of torque.

Being a commercial vehicle, its top speed is limited to 120km/h. Various recuperation levels can be toggled too to recharge the battery while driving, via shift paddles behind the steering wheel.

Should owners wish to maximise range, the eVito’s D^AUTO recuperation mode offers information from the safety assistants, plus it adapts the strength of recuperation in real-time. In addition, three drive modes help owners choose between maximum comfort or maximum range at the push of a button while driving.

The eVito can be ordered in two different lengths in Singapore. The standard comes in at 5,140 millimetres, with the extra-long version bringing that figure up to 5,370 millimetres.

Prospective customers can head down to the Mercedes-Benz showroom to take a closer look at the new eVito today.

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