It’s good to know that once in a while, I’m actually right about something. Back in July last year I predicted that “van hire companies may soon need electric van fleets“.

Fast forward eight months, and I’ve just learned that Europcar has started buying Citroen Berlingo Electric vans for use in urban areas, especially London Congestion Charging zone. When the London Ultra-Low Emissions Zone comes into force in April 2019, electric vans will qualify for a 100% discount.

Alongside this change, the company has also ordered 100 new Citroen Berlingo vans in Enterprise specification. This high-end spec includes the kind of equipment list that’s more usually found on cars.

Standard spec for the Berlingo Enterprise includes air conditioning, rear parking sensors, cruise control, speed limiter, automatic electronic parking brake, alarm, one-touch electric windows, heated and electrically-operated folding door mirrors, front fog lights with cornering function and tyre pressure monitoring. 

Europcar says that private rental customers increasingly expect the comfort and convenience features of a modern car. Meanwhile business customers, who increasingly use rental vans for long periods, want to ensure that their drivers are well-supported and able to do their job comfortably and efficiently.