In 2020, Vanarama reports, there were just 5,266 electric vans registered in the UK – many of these being small vans, such as the Renault Kangoo ZE and the Nissan eNV200. But as the year progressed and more and more models entered the market, the fleet sector, in particular, boosted the uptake and Vanarama predicts that registrations will have risen to 18,000 by the end of this year.
Many large companies are desperate to push their green credentials, so using electric vans is something of a no-brainer for their overarching marketing strategies. Big firms such as Tesco, Amazon and Royal Mail, are spearheading the push towards electric fleets, so all in all, it looks like the numbers of clean energy vehicles on our roads will continue to rise.
The high-cost outlay for changing to an electric van is something that one-man-band and small business users are still citing as a significant barrier to electric van uptake. This, combined with certain unknowns such as repair and servicing costs, the charging infrastructure across the UK and whether cheap van insurance for electric commercial vehicles will become widely available, are some of the other main reasons that smaller businesses may take time to switch to electric vans.
However, there's no doubting that the desire to be greener is a strong pull towards electric driving. Back in June, we reported on some recent van driver survey statistics surrounding electric van driving which showed that 40% of those polled would consider buying an electric van when their current van needs replacing. And three in five drivers said that the availability of electric vehicle grants would make them seriously consider a switch.
If you are considering buying an electric van, it will pay to shop around for the best deals on cheap van insurance. One thing that can be said is that as electric van ownership increases and the cost of repairs and initial outlay goes down by comparison to traditionally-fuelled vans, then the reductions will soon be reflected in the van insurance market.
Call iVan today to see if we can provide you a great deal on your electric van insurance – we provide competitively priced policies for any driver van insurance and under-25 van insurance, so why not give us a try, especially if your commercial vehicle of choice in 2021 is a brand new electric van.
Knowing what to do if your van has a problem while driving on the motorway or dual carriageway is really important. Here's our van breakdown guide.
When a warning light comes on, it's important not to panic, but not to ignore it either. Many of us are unlikely to know the meaning of every warning light that comes on in our vans, so it's always a good idea to stop as soon as it's safe to do so, so you can check out what the light means and what you need to do.
If you feel there is a problem with your van while you are driving, for instance brake issues, loss of power steering, deceleration, or unresponsiveness, you need to get your vehicle off the road as safely and quickly as you can. If possible, drive to the next exit, service station or designated Parking spot.
If this is not possible, follow the advice of the Highways England commercial and "Go Left". To do this safely, you should stay calm and do the following:
If your van has broken down in a live lane of traffic and you can't get to a safe place, you should:
If you can't get to an emergency phone on the side of a motorway you can call Highways England on 0300 123 5000 for help and guidance. Put the number in your phone now.
If your van or company has breakdown assistance (all iVan policies come with free RAC breakdown cover) it's a good idea to have that phone number in your phone as well.
Although breaking down in traffic can be daunting, you may need to make a quick and clear assessment of the situation:
All iVan van insurance policies, including any driver van insurance, come with free RAC breakdown cover, so you'll always be only one phonecall away from help in the event of a breakdown while on the road.
Get a quote today.
For instance, 14% of the 500 van driving adults questioned rated David Attenborough's Blue Planet II as enthralling, while 10% cited Downton Abbey as their favourite TV Show.
One in four van drivers said they followed a vegan or vegetarian diet and 44% took offense at the notion that "van drivers" have a poor diet.
Perhaps more interestingly, the poll also showed that each year the average van driver will cover 16,000 miles in a van, spend 702 hours driving and consume 728 hot drinks at the wheel (while stationary, we hope).
The survey asked van drivers for their opinions on electric vans and the answers provided some interesting statistics about electric vans and the potential barriers to uptake:
However, with recent news that fuel prices are now at their highest levels for three years, electric vans may become more attractive as van drivers weigh up the benefits against the barriers.
In May 2021, the Insurance Times said that the price of van insurance premiums had fallen by 2% since March 2020. There has been a 5.5 % drop in premiums for van drivers who use their van under a social, domestic and pleasure (SDP) policy, while van drivers using their vans solely for business saw a 0.9% drop in their premium prices.
The average policy price for a UK van driver is now £1,055 (£1,010 for SDP users and £1,070 for business use policies).
Policy prices for electric vans have largely appeared to be higher than for their diesel and petrol counterparts, however, as historic van insurance data builds and more insurance providers start to sell cover for electric vans, it's hoped that premiums will start to fall. As with most new technology it takes a while before prices for the related infrastructure stabilise and begin to show parity with the mainstream.
Whether you're looking for any driver van insurance for an electric van, young driver van insurance for a diesel model or whether you need business use only cover or SDP insurance, the best advice for buyers is to shop around.
At iVan we can take the strain for you by automatically providing the most suitable insurance for your needs that we can find, at the best price. We are van insurance specialists and understand the needs of tradespeople who rely on their vans.
Talk to iVan today to get the cheap van insurance that's right for you (and we definitely won't ask you if you think Downton Abbey is great!)
Here we take a quick look at the pros and cons of buying or leasing a new van:
Whether you lease or buy your van, one factor to consider will be the van insurance requirements.
Commercial vehicle leases will require comprehensive insurance as standard (although, as a van insurance company, we would always recommend comprehensive insurance as preferable if you can afford it.)
The price you pay for your van insurance, whether you lease or buy, will depend on a number of standard factors such as the age of the vehicle, the base value of the van, repair costs, and other factors such as whether you require any driver van insurance, under-25 van insurance or whether you wish to insure the vehicle under a fleet van insurance policy.
As with all van insurance deals, research is key, so our advice when deciding whether to lease or buy a van, is to add the insurance costs as a factor to explore.
It's a common misconception that the offence of 'dangerous driving' is solely about the physical act of driving, but this is not the case. A badly loaded van can be a danger to other road users and, therefore, the driver of a van which has been loaded incorrectly can be charged with dangerous driving.
The recent crackdown on dangerous drivers carried out by the Humberside Police Roads Policing Unit paid particular attention to van drivers and their loads.
During the two weeks of Operation Brigantia, more than 250 drivers were found to have committed loading offences.
Inspector Tony Tinsley said that although many of the van drivers stopped during the operation had been fully compliant with the Road Traffic Act 1988, "there were many who chose to travel without sufficient measures in place to ensure their vehicles were contained, some of which could have had catastrophic consequences".
Among the offences discovered during Operation Brigantia were an unsecured load of flammable liquid – a number of plastic canisters were being carried loose on a pallet inside a van – and a flat-bed van piled high with various scrap items on top of which was a precariously balanced car held on by two straps.
Dangerous loads also include overloaded vehicles which can cause braking and handling problems and once again can prove to be a danger to other road users.
A spokesperson for Highways England acknowledged that the majority of commercial vehicle users in the UK are "sensible and safe" behind the wheels of their vans, but there are a dangerous few who put themselves and others at risk by breaking the law.
Inspector Tinsley reiterated that Operation Brigantia was part of a wider programme which is primarily concerned with educating commercial vehicle drivers about road and vehicle safety. However, where motoring offences are discovered, fines and punishments will be issued.
For commercial vehicle drivers, getting a good deal on van insurance is always a priority; whether that's fleet van insurance, any driver van insurance or single driver cover for one small van – when a motoring offence is committed, this will always make the price of van insurance more expensive.
iVan can help commercial vehicle drivers get a great deal on their van insurance. Get a quote today by clicking on the big orange button.
* Image: Highways Agency