There’s no compromise in choosing the Ranger PHEV, because it can haul a trailer of up to 3.5 tonnes and carry as much as 1000kg in the load bed. All this, and you still get the versatility of four-wheel drive. You can also choose the EV mode, which will take you up to 23 miles on battery power, or you can mix and match this with power from the 2.3-litre petrol engine.
5. LEVC VN5
If the LEVC VN5 looks familiar, that’s because it’s based on the company’s black cab taxi. In VN5 form, you get an electric commercial vehicle with a petrol range-extender motor. This means the LEVC always runs on electric power, but you have the back-up of the petrol engine to recharge the battery on the move.
Where the taxi model carries its passengers, LEVC has changed the rear design to become a van with similar capacity to a Ford Transit Custom. There’s a sliding side door and twin side-hinged rear doors for easy access. The VN5 comes with plenty of standard equipment to make the cab a pleasant place to work from, with heated windscreen, climate control, nine-inch touchscreen for the infotainment, and seats with adjustable lumbar support.
6. Toyota Corolla Commercial
You’ll need to look twice to recognise the Toyota Corolla Commercial as a van. It appears much like the Corolla Touring Sports, but the blacked-out rear windows are the clue this is a Corolla to help you at work. With no rear seats, you get a long, flat load floor covered in a hard-wearing rubber mat. There’s also a half bulkhead with a wire mesh upper, to keep loads from sliding into the front compartment.
Access to the load area is through the Corolla’s usual tailgate and rear side doors. Up front, it’s much like any other Corolla, with the same dash, infotainment and comfort. The Corolla Commercial also offers a 465kg maximum payload. As a self-charging hybrid, the Toyota has a combined fuel economy claimed at 51.1mpg.
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