New Launches
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford… Read More
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We has just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal… Read More
Ford Transit ECOnetic Brief Test
We’ve been putting a SWB 100hp 2.2TDi Euro 5 Transit 280 ECOnetic through its paces… Read More
Renault Kangoo ZE 2011 European Launch
Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van… Read More
Fuso Canter 2011 European Launch
Fuso has completely revamped its range of light and heavy truck Canter chassis and chassis crew cabs… Read More
Iveco Daily 2011 European Launch
Iveco has introduced new, latest generation diesels to its Daily range, along with detail changes inside and out… Read More
Ford Transit 2011 European Launch
Ford takes the iconic Transit to the next stage with an all-new range of 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 UK Launch
VW’s large panel van has undergone a serious makeover with changes to the front-end styling and the cab interior, as well as new Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Ford Transit Connect Electric Brief Test
We spent a day with the battery-powered Connect to get a better idea of what it’s like to live with in its natural, urban environment. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL Brief Test
Currently undergoing trials with selected fleet customers in the UK, we managed to get behind the wheel of a battery-powered Vito E-CELL… Read More
CAP hammers Transit Connect Electric residuals
CAP has forecast a residual value of 20 per cent for the Azure Dynamics Transit Connect Electric after three years/30,000 miles. With a basic price of £39,999 new, the van is reckoned to retain a value of £8,000. To put this in perspective a long-wheelbase Transit Connect Trend diesel equivalent has a residual value forecast of 33 per cent.This reflects what can only be described as very conservative views in the trade over the future prospects for used electric vans. The announcement is published in the latest edition of CAP Monitor – Future Residual Values for Commercial Vehicles, the independent industry benchmark for forecast used prices.
In the light commercials market, CAP’s opinion has been that the commercial viability of electric vans remains fraught with uncertainty, especially for second users. One of the major issues has been the still largely unknown potential for the need to replace expensive battery packs.
The prospects of persuading second users to pay a premium for nascent technology remain slight, in CAP's view. Commercial Vehicle Monitor editor, Tim Cattlin, said: “We have no wish to dampen enthusiasm for any new development in the light commercial vehicles sector, but at this point the prospects for all-electric vans are fraught with difficulties, despite the clear operating advantages of using one for specific kinds of work.“We are looking to the future and a typical trader's willingness to risk purchasing such a vehicle for stock. At this point it seems unlikely that the risk around battery life alone will be considered reasonable until a real track record of reliability has been established, along with a clear understanding of battery longevity.
“Another serious sticking point is the risk to an end user of having to spend several thousand pounds additionally on a replacement battery pack on a five to 10 year old vehicle.
“Our current residual value forecasts are therefore conservative, having taken all of the relevant factors into account. However, our minds remain open and as more market experience is gained the industry can rest assured we are closely monitoring for everything that can be learned about this new emerging sector.
“We also recognise that although these vehicles are likely to cause sleep loss for a fleet manager, to the marketing director of an environmentally conscious business with a proactive desire for a pioneering green image, their value is not entirely tied to the balance sheet.”
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Latest Features
Show Preview: CV Show 2012
This year's Commercial Vehicle Show is scheduled to return to the NEC Birmingham on 24 – 26 April following a very successful 2011 event. The show dates have… Read More
Vans of the Year Awards 2012
Each year we sit down and decide which, in our opinion, are best light commercials around in each market segment… Read More
Manheim: Used Van Market 2011
Manheim Remarketing reports on used van values and trends in 2011… Read More
Iveco: State of the Nation 2012
The Italian van and truck manufacturer takes a look back at the 2011 UK van market… Read More
Bridgestone Eco-Rally 2011
Environmentally-friendly transport can be fun, as we discovered courtesy of a Transit Connect Electric… Read More