Ten Second Review

The improved version of Toyota's Proace City Electric is a small van with big ideas for the environment. Like all full battery-powered LCV's, it looks a bit pricey but you get a longer warranty than any other van in the class, a useful 'Smart Cargo' loading system and now more usable 213 mile driving range between charges.

Background

With its hybrid technology, Toyota has played a major role in vehicle electrification in the 21st century. So who could have thought that the brand's very first full-EV products would be vans - with engineering developed by someone else. Yet that's just what we got as the company was dragging its feet getting the all-electric bZ4X SUV into production. First the Proace Electric mid-sized van; then in 2021 this LCV, the Proace City Electric. Both are based on the Stellantis Group engineering of similar vans already on sale from Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall: namely the Peugeot E-Partner, Citroen's e-Berlingo and the Vauxhall Combo Electric. As with those models, this Toyota was updated for the 2024 model year with a smarter look, improved cabin infotainment and a longer EV operating range.

You might worry here about a slightly smaller dealer network than those other manufacturers can provide, but the brand is establishing 'Toyota Professional Centres' in existing dealerships, with dedicated maintenance spaces, highly trained staff and special website tools for business customers. And it's all complemented by the most comprehensive warranty in the LCV industry. Sounds promising.

Design and Build

Unless you happen to notice the badging or the charging flap, there's little to set this EV van apart from any other Proace City model. There's quite a substantial makeover here, with a striking new frontal design which sets the tone for a contemporary update inside and out. The absence of upper grilles between the headlights creates a more sophisticated, distinctive appearance while the trapezoid-shaped lower grille reflects similar designs across the Toyota range. The look is accentuated by restyled headlamps, including full-LED options and alloy wheels on higher grades. And there's now a Verso EV people carrying MPV version too, which can seat up to seven. The van variant, as before, is offered in a choice of two body lengths, short or long, which both have sliding doors on each side. And as usual in this class, there's a single roof height.

At first glance, the cab doesn't seem much different from the combustion model, but closer inspection reveals different instrumentation and an e-Toggle drive mode selector in place of the gearshift. The drive modes are selected by a switch alongside. Toyota has chosen the conventional interior layout used by the Combo Electric and the e-Berlingo, rather than the E-Partner's weirder 'i-Cockpit' set-up with its small steering wheel and high set dials.

With this updated model, the cabin has been enhanced with a smarter leather-trimmed steering wheel, a new digital instrument cluster and 10-inch touchscreen for the fully connected infotainment system, which includes built-in navigation. Otherwise, the sturdy, comfortable interior is much as before. As previously, the plusher version gets a three-seater arrangement with a middle passenger seat backrest that fold down to create a desk top. That spec also gets you a 'Smart Cargo system' - basically a flap in the bulkhead that allows longer items to be pushed through from the load area, increasing load length by 1.3m for things like ladders. The base spec does without this feature (except as an option) and has two separate front seats.

With both versions, there is no lack of storage space in the cab: 16 storage points, according to Toyota, these including a 15-litre area in the centre console. Toyota knows that for business people today, a van often has to serve as a mobile office as well as a means of transport, so there are plenty of connectivity features too.

Driving Experience

If you know anything about the engineering of this product, you won't be expecting it to be any different to drive than its E-Partner, e-Berlingo or Combo Cargo Electric EV cousins - and of course, it isn't. Start up and there's the usual beep as you get the sign that all is ready to pull away; which you do in the default 'Normal' drive mode. The other selectable drive settings are 'Eco' and 'Power'. You'll need the 'Power' mode to unleash the electric motor's full 134bhp output, though if you drive like that, you will of course get nowhere near the 50kWh battery's WLTP-rated best driving range figure, now improved to 213 miles between charges, 45 miles further than this model could manage when we first tested it back in 2021. Better to stick to the 'Normal' mode, which restricts output to 108bhp; or possibly around town to 'Eco' mode, though that gives you just 81bhp and restricts the climate system. 'Normal' mode should be fine for realistic maximisation of range, particularly if you select the 'B' transmission setting that increases brake regeneration.

As usual with EVs, if you do need performance, it's only a right foot jab away; 62mph from rest occupies 11.2s, but the instant response you get to 30mph makes this LCV feel quicker than that. Overtakes are easy too; 50-75 mph takes 8.9s. Top speed is just 84mph.

Market and Model

After deduction of the available £2,500 Plug-in van grant, Toyota wants around £30,500 from you for this Proace City Electric, that's after your business has reclaimed the VAT. That's for the short wheelbase version with the base 7kW on-board charger. A few hundred pounds more gets you the gutsier 11kW on-board charger for quick battery replenishment. It's probably worth stretching to the long wheelbase Long variant, which only costs around £700 more.

There's only one level of trim - 'Icon' - but it includes quite a lot. You can tick off auto headlamps and wipers, twin sliding side doors, cruise control and a 10-inch centre infotainment touchscreen with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. You also get cruise control, a colour 3.5-inch multi-information instrument binnacle display, Bluetooth, a DAB audio system and door mirrors that are heated and power adjustable. And Toyota includes its 'Smart Cargo' system which allows you to push through items from the cargo bay into the cab and fold down the passenger seat to create a handy table. There are two USB ports in the cab and your dealer will offer you accessories like rubber floor mats and ply lining for the load space.

Summary

You've still got to do quite a few careful sums to justify the purchase of an electric van these days, even with the benefit of the available government grant. But if you can make the figures add up and you need one of a more compact size, then this usefully improved Proace City Electric certainly deserves to be on your list.

It's major selling point over its identically-engineered LCV Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall cousins, as we've been saying in this review, lies in its longer warranty. If that appeals and you've a 'Toyota Professional' van dealership in easy reach, then the only other decision you've to make is whether this model makes more sense than the other major class player, the Renault Kangoo E-Tech. That extra back-up makes this Proace City model look good here too. We still can't help wondering what a future fully Toyota-engineered van of this sort might be like. But for the time being, this one will do just fine.