[Update: Citroen, Peugeot, and Vauxhall issued separate PRs in the UK, confirming that their passenger van lineup will be EV only.]
The Stellantis group’s Citroen, Peugeot, and Opel / Vauxhall brands will be dropping the gasoline and diesel variants of their passenger vans from the European and the UK markets this year. This means that all compact and midsize passenger vans from those companies will go electric-only.
The passenger vans that are affected by this decision that was reported by Autonews Europe include the Citroen Berlingo / Jumpy / SpaceTourer, the Peugeot Rifter / Expert / Traveller, and the Opel Combo / Vivaro / Zafira Life. All these models were already available in fully electric variants which makes things easier for parent company Stellantis.
Read Also: Peugeot Expands All-Electric Range With 2021 e-Rifter MPV
The fully electric Peugeot e-Rifter has a WLTP range of up to 275 km (171 miles)
Thankfully for businesses and professionals, the EV-only rule won’t affect the commercial versions of the models which will continue to be offered in ICE-powered form alongside the fully electric variants.
Citroen, Peugeot, and Opel issued separate statements explaining that the decision was made to ensure the viability of these model lines in the future. At the same time, it is a step in the right direction as each company is making the transition to an electric-only range in Europe.
Citroen said that the less aerodynamic silhouette and increased weight of MPVs (minivans) result in higher fuel consumption which makes gasoline and diesel offerings less relevant. In that context, Vincent Cobee, Citroen’s CEO, believes that the ë-Berlingo and ë-SpaceTourer will be enough to attract buyers.
Read Also: 2021 Citroen ë-Berlingo Electric MPV Launches With Up To 7 Seats, 174-Mile Range
In terms of electric powertrains, all of Stellantis’ EVs are fitted with a single front-mounted electric motor producing 134 hp (100 kW / 136 PS) of power and 260 Nm (192 lb-ft) of torque. The compact vans are equipped with a 50 kWh battery allowing a WLTP range between 172-174 miles (275-280 km). The mid-size vans are also available with the same 50 kWh battery offering a WLTP range between 143-148 miles (230-238 km) but they also get an optional 75 kWh battery offering a maximum range of up to 205 miles (330 km). However, the latter seems to be dropped from the UK range since it wasn’t mentioned at all – likely due to the added cost.
According to data from JATO Dynamics, sales of the Stellantis passenger vans were strong in 2021, with the vast majority being ICE-powered variants. More specifically from January to November, the Citroen Berlingo sold 26,179 units, followed by the Peugeot Rifter with 22,490 units and the less popular Opel Combo with 12,929 sales. In the mid-size van segment, the Opel Zafira sold 9,338 units, followed by the Peugeot Traveller with 7,319 units and the Citroen SpaceTourer with 5,820 units.
Read Also: Opel Combo Cargo Compact Van Gains 4×4 Option For €6,400
The Opel Combo-e Life was introduced in 2021 with a WLTP range of up to 280 km (174 miles).
Fiat has already announced the new-generation Scudo which is a sibling of the Opel Vivaro /Zafira, Peugeot Expert / Traveller and Citroen Jumpy / Spacetourer, however, we don’t know yet if it will debut as an electric-only model in its passenger van form. The aging Fiat Doblo will likely not be affected by the change since a new generation is coming soon.
The passenger versions of LCVs have become the new norm in recent years after the gradual demise of traditional MPVs due to the SUV craze. The only issue with electric passenger vans is the high price which makes them less attainable for an average family. For example, in France, the Citroen ë-Berlingo starts from €35,300 (equal to around $40,000) while the cheapest ICE-powered derivative started from €23,150 ($26,250). Similarly, the Citroen ë-SpaceTourer starts from €48,450 ($55,000) when the ICE-powered range started from €32,350 ($36,700). In order to lower this price gap, Vauxhall announced a £2,000-3,000 price drop for its electric vans in the UK market that now comply with the UK Government’s Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) which also applies for the passenger vans of Citroen.
The Citroen E-Spacetourer has up to nine seats and is available in three lengths