Professional Builder plugs into a new name in vans which is hoping to be part of the charge towards electric power.
A new electric van with a one tonne load capacity for around £20,000 plus VAT? OK, so that includes the Government’s £5,000 plug-in-van grant but even so, at that price, let’s be honest, it probably raises as many red flags as green ones, especially since all of its contemporaries are approaching twice that – and some considerably more so.
By now you will have probably guessed that the people behind the new DFSK EC 35 is not a name that instantly springs to mind when thinking about light commercial vehicles. In fact, Innovation Automation was set up as recently as 2021 by a vastly experienced team of ex Mitsubishi motoring personnel to import a range of Chinese-built electric vehicles which, in their own words, “will help to ease business through the important transition from internal combustion to electric power.” Breaking with convention it aims to do this through direct sales rather than a dealer network, although interestingly servicing will be handled by local Halfords Autocentres. There’s a five-year 75,000-mile warranty, and battery for eight years, with AA road cover for three years included in the purchase price.
It’s fair to say we haven’t always enjoyed the best of experiences with vans from the far east. Who will ever forget the Great Wall pick up? Which proved to be anything but. That left our car park on a low loader, and it wasn’t the only one which failed to last the course of being driven in our own special builder’s way for a week or so. We also borrowed an original petrol DFSK with the incongruous looking BMW grille many moons ago and that left us, like the vehicle itself, largely unmoved. The world, and especially the global vehicle market, is a very different beast than back then, of course, and in terms of electric technology the Chinese are now recognised as the leading exponents of alternative automotive power.
One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the impression that vehicles from this part of the world have come straight out of Trumpton (ask your parents). At just 1.7m wide and 4.5m long, the tyres on the new EC are not the only thing which could be referred to as skinny, although first impressions can be deceptive, because despite the high load bed to accommodate the battery pack, inside there is a very respectable medium sized van payload of over a tonne. This is accessed through dual sliding side doors and an up and over tailgate. Another peculiarity amongst its contemporaries here, is the rear-wheel-drive element, which in theory should aid loaded traction.
Our version was the limited to 62mph top speed model, which has a modest range of 100 miles whilst the limited 50mph version claims to offer around 160mpg. One imagines fully laden and inclement British weather – will like all electric vehicles – take a significant toll on those figures, but the 39kW battery can be charged in around six hours at home or 90 minutes on a rapid charging unit.
So that’s the modern bit accounted for. The rest is really a bit like stepping back in time with creature comforts and safety assurances stripped right back to its ladder frame chassis, which is only seen these days on some pick-up trucks and top of the range Iveco’s. It does give it a strong base to build from but don’t expect anything like the driving experience which we now take for granted from the big players vying for a share of this highly competitive sector of the LCV market. There’s no electronic stability control, which is highly unusual these days, and the interior is cheap and equipped to a budget end price, with only one trim level and a limited number of accessories. You do get a largish touchscreen infotainment system, rear parking sensors and reversing camera, but we were left somewhat bemused by an unnecessary analogue rev counter which somewhat disconcertingly seems to spend most of its time in the red. We would also prefer an exact indication of miles left in the ‘tank’ rather than a state of diminishing battery charge.
And, talking of battery, we come to the biggest – and certainly most usual in electric vehicle terms – bugbear of cabin noise. Whenever you get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle the most striking aspect of the whole experience is the sound of silence. So much so that it takes a while to actually know whether you are good to go. Not so with the EC. There is a very audible whirring noise from the get-go, right up to 25mph when whatever is responsible, and one assumes it is the battery pack itself, switches into another mode and you are left with nothing more than the sound of the wind rushing by.
In the interests of fairness, we asked the company for clarification on this matter and in their own words: “The DFSK EC 35 is built with pedestrian safety in mind. Being all electric it makes very little noise when moving-particularly at low speeds. It is essential that pedestrians are alerted to its presence. Especially in urban environments and busy places of work. DFSK has, therefore, gone above the industry norm of standard pedestrian warning systems, increasing tone output, and extending the maximum speed at which the tone operates to 25mph. As well as protecting pedestrians it gives EC 35 drivers added piece of mind, whatever the environment.” All very worthy, of course, but likely to fall on deaf ears for those who spend any length of time behind the wheel at low urban speeds. New EU rules will make an audible pedestrian warning noise mandatory on all electric vehicles up to 12mph so at the very least one would hope that the Innovation Automation people might have a strong word with their Chinese suppliers to significantly reduce the current setting.
We often talk about horses for courses when making van selections that are right for your business, so in the case of the EC 35 it’s not unreasonable, perhaps, to suggest that it is very firmly in the one trick pony category. If you work locally – perhaps as a painter & decorator, joiner, or electrician – without the need for bulky materials on a regular basis and want to make an environmental statement about your business, then at the price this EV is worth a look. Customers are increasingly attracted to those tradesmen displaying good green credentials and this is a vehicle which will certainly attract attention, although not always, it has to be said, for the best reasons.
For the vast majority of builders, however, the EC 35 is unlikely to leave them green with envy just yet.
For further information on the DFSK EC 35 visit http://www.dfsk.com/portal/index/vehiclemodelmobile/id/61.html