Strong Focus On Total Ownership Makes The New Ducato Electric A Real Viable Option For Fleet Managers.
With the launch of the new Ducato Electric, the first all-electric BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) from Fiat Professional – it seems to us pretty clear that Fleet Managers are at the forefront of the sales pitch.
What Ducato Electric Brings To The Table
Available from next year, the Ducato Electric will feature modular battery size options and charging configurations, with a range of between 136 to 223 miles (NEDC cycle).
Fiat quote maximum power of 90kW and maximum torque of 280Nm. Energy use will be preserver by limiting the top speed to 62mph. Fiat also claim best-in-class load volumes from 10 to 17m3, and a payload of up to 1,950kg.
Is The Market Ready For The New Ducato?
The Ducato Electric has been developed using a year’s worth of real-word customer data relating to how they use their commercial vehicles. From this data, Fiat has established that more than 25% of the market already has a “BEV attitude”. They know that their customers are ‘ready and waiting for a mobility change’.
The pilot projects Fiat have conducted involve ‘large companies’, and enable Fiat to ‘identify all specific uses and demands which in turn assists with individual customisation and configuration’.
From it’s data, Fiat believes that the early users of its BEVtechnology will be postal and courier services, home deliveries, local transport, and those regularly accessing city centres. And with clean air zones coming into most major UK Cities very soon – another huge benefit box is ticked.
What Is It Up Against?
In contrast to Fiat’s BEV strategy for its commercial vehicle offer, Ford believes the route to full electrification will be a transition that incorporates hybrid and plug-in hybrid.
A fleet of 20 Transit Customs in London has recently been trialled by Ford using their “plug-in” hyrbid technology. The initial pilots have ended, giving more potential customers the opportunity to test the vans.
Owen Gregory, Ford UK fleet director, said:
“We see a balance and blend of technologies that bring difference parts of the transition in terms of electric performance and availability. The use case for full electric for CVs is narrow but we are able to open up the use case with plug-in.”
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