The new Citroën e-Relay has now officially launched in the UK - adding to Citroen’s ever-expanding fleet of all-electric vans.
The Citroen e-Relay follows hot on the heels of the recently-unleashed Vauxhall Movano-e - and there’s a reason for that.
Both manufacturers are owned by the French PSA Group, and so the Movano-e and the Citroen e-Relay share the same electric underpinnings.
But if you’re a Citroen admirer, and you prefer the way the e-Relay’s front end is adorned with more shiny chrome than the Movano-e, you’ll appreciate the choice between the two models.
First thing’s first, the e-Relay and the Movano-e share pretty much the same stats in terms of load capacity and performance.
There are two battery packs to choose from - a 37kWh version, or a larger 70kWh unit - with up to 139 miles of range. The smaller of those batteries has a range of 74 miles, while both produce decent power of 120hp.
With a maximum load volume of 15m3 and a maximum payload of 1,150kg, the e-Relay is now Citroen’s largest and most spacious e-LCV, heading to the top of the pack above the e-Berlingo and the e-Dispatch.
The move also means that all of Citroen’s light commercial vehicles will be available with battery-electric powertrains by the end of 2021.
In terms of trim levels available, the e-Relay is very much ‘no nonsense’ - there’s just one, ‘Enterprise’, which is available in Panel Van, Window Van or Chassis Cab formats. Panel Van versions come in three lengths - L2 (5,413mm), L3 (5,998mm) and L4 (6,363mm) - while the Window Van is offered exclusively in L4 form. Chassis Cabs are available in the popular L3 length.
And if you want the biggest battery with the largest amount of range, you’ll have to go for either the L3 and L4 variants.
Like the Movano-e, the e-Relay is hell-bent on keeping your company costs down. With zero tailpipe emissions, the e-Relay is exempt from current Congestion and Ultra Low Emissions Zone charges, and attracts a 0% company van tax rate.
All models come with a Type-2 charging cable as standard, supporting charging of up to 22kW. A full charge from a 7kW wallbox unit will take six and 12 hours respectively, for the 37kWh and 70kWh versions. Both variants also support up to 50kW rapid charging.
Comfort-wise, all e-Relays come equipped as standard with a five-inch colour touchscreen, DAB radio and satellite navigation, plus a new rear-view mirror that contains a small display with key vehicle information, such as battery charge level and remaining range.
A Citroen spokesperson says:
“By the end of the year, customers will also be able to order the most compact electric van in the Citroen range – the eagerly anticipated e-Berlingo Van.
Which means from Quarter 4 of this year, fleet and business customers will be able to choose the compact, medium or large Citroen van that best meets their needs – and then opt to have it delivered with an efficient all-electric powertrain.”
Prices for the new Citroën e-Relay start from £49,335, with first deliveries commencing in the important plate-change month of September.
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