Citroen e-Dispatch electric van: price, specifications, pictures and details

Citroen has announced full details and pricing for the electric variant of its Dispatch medium-size panel van. It's known as the Citroen e-Dispatch and is on sale in the UK now. The range starts at £26,450 after the government's plug-in van grant has been applied for the entry-level model, rising to £35,070 for the range-topper, with the longest range and highest spec.

A sister model to both the Peugeot e-Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro-e, the e-Dispatch is externally very similar to the standard diesel Dispatch that has been on sale since 2016. The only visible differences externally are the charging port on the left-hand front wing, as well as a blank section in the front grille and an 'e' badge to the right of the grille and on the left-hand rear door.

Citroen e-Dispatch trim levels, specifications and pricing

Two trim levels are offered: Enterprise Pro and Driver Pro. Standard kit on the former includes 16-inch steel wheels, twin sliding side doors, daytime running lights and a full-size steel spare wheel. Inside, there's a dual passenger bench with a folding outer seat and a fold-down writing table on the back of in the centre seat.  A load-through flap in the bulkhead enables extra-long items to be transported, too.

On-board technology includes rear parking sensors, automatic lights and windscreen wipers, a seven-inch colour touchscreen with Bluetooth, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Driver Pro spec builds on that kit list with 17-inch  alloy wheels, body-coloured front and rear bumpers, metallic paint, LED daytime running lights, front and rear parking sensors, a 180-degree rear parking camera, sat nav, a head-up display and a safety pack. The latter adds lane-departure warning, speed-limit recognition, intelligent speed adaptation and driver attention alert.

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Electric motor, power, battery, range and charging

The e-Dispatch is powered by a 134bhp electric motor with maximum torque of 260Nm. Top speed in each of the three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Power) is 80mph. Normal optimises both range and performance, while Power aims to offer the same performance as Normal mode when the van is fully loaded. Eco limits motor torque and power, as well as the heating and air-conditioning, in order to maximise range.

The e-Dispatch is offered with a choice of two batteries: a 50kWh model returning up to 148 miles of range, or a 75kWh version capable of 211 miles on a single charge. The 50kWh battery is available with the 'XS' and 'M' body sizes, while the 75kWh option can be specified with the 'M' and 'XL' sizes.

The smaller 50kWh battery takes seven-and-half hours to charge from a 7.4kW home wallbox, or four hours and 45 minutes from an 11kW commercial three-phase power supply. Rapid charging from a 100kW public charging point takes just 30 minutes. Charging times for the larger 75kWh battery are just under 11-and-a-half hours from a home wallbox, seven hours from a commercial supply and 45 minutes from a public rapid charger.

For both batteries, getting the maximum charging speed from a commercial three-phase power supply requires specifying your e-Dispatch with the optional 11kW on-board charger at extra cost. Both batteries are also covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile guarantee.

The MyCitroen smartphone app can be used to remotely start, stop or schedule charging, as well as cool down or heat up the van's interior ahead of a journey. Citroen in the UK has a partnership with Pod Point for the supply and installation of wallbox chargers, however any wallbox will work with the e-Dispatch.

Cargo volume and payload

With batteries mounted within the van's chassis, Citroen promises no reduction in load space compared to the e-Dispatch's diesel-engined counterpart. The van is available in three lengths, including the 4.6-metre-long, 5.1-cubic-metre XS, which is designed for easier access to urban centres and parking spaces.

Load volumes vary from 4.6 to 6.6 cubic metres, while all versions have a towing capacity of a tonne and a width between wheelarches of 1.25 metres, which is sufficient to load a Euro pallet. Citroen gives 'normal' and 'increased' payload figures for each version of the e-Dispatch, set out as follows:

Citroen says the electric Dispatch will offer improved comfort, with “limited noise or vibration” thanks to the electric powertrain, which will also make the van cheaper to run and maintain over the course of its life, the company claims. The firm also believes having unrestricted access to ultra-low-emissions zones in cities will be a big selling point for the electric van, especially to businesses providing “last-mile” deliveries.

The e-Dispatch – which sits on Citroen parent company the PSA Group’s EMP2 platform – sits between the larger e-Relay and smaller e-Berlingo in the brand's LCV range. Citroen plans to offer an electrified version of every light commercial vehicle in its line-up, with 100% of its range available with electric power by 2025.