5 Best Electric Cargo Vans for Professionals [With Table]

Electric vehicles are more energy-efficient than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and produce zero emissions while driving and idling.  As many companies are looking to reduce their carbon footprint as part of bigger Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals,  EVs will likely be your fleet’s path to supporting a healthy planet.

With an electric cargo van, fleets can reduce downtime without compromising safety features; upfitting and customization; space and comfort; storage options; and more.

Electric cargo vans are used by professionals across a variety of industries, such as last-mile delivery, contractors, and more. For these types of businesses, the benefits of using electric cargo vans are nearly endless. With advantages like home or overnight depot charging, predetermined routes, reduced maintenance, and no risk of breaking city idle laws, fleet drivers can focus on their routes and make more deliveries in a day.

Here’s a list of the current electric cargo and step vans in and soon-to-be in production. This information was compiled from the Merchants Electrify Fleet EV Finder tool and is subject to change as more data and new models become available.

Ford e-Transit
The Ford e-Transit is the electric version of the best-selling Ford Transit van. Drivers have their choice of three roof heights and body lengths. The battery is stored beneath the cargo floor and doesn’t impede cargo space. It seats up to two passengers and reports a range of 126 miles with a 68-kWh battery.

Notable Achievements

• Gold Award for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems from Euro NCAP
• Green Car Journal 2022 Green Car Product of Excellence

Model Specs

• Roof: Low, medium, or high
• Body Length: regular, long or long-EL

BrightDrop Zevo 600

The Brightdrop Zevo 600 (formerly EV600)  has been built from the ground up for the needs of last-mile and longer delivery. This light-duty vehicle has a range of 250 miles. The Ultium battery system is stored under the floor so as to not impede cargo space. The BrightDrop EV600 has a standard cargo area security system and shifting cargo load motion sensors.

Notable Achievements

• 2022 Commercial Green Car of the Year Award from Green Car Journal
• Fastest built vehicle (from concept to commercialization) in General Motors’ history (20 months)

BrightDrop Zevo 400

Designed for small, frequent deliveries, this mid-size EV cargo van is ideal for last-mile delivery. Its less than 20’ frame can fit in a standard parking space but doesn’t compromise storage space. The Brightdrop Zevo 400 (formerly EV410) has an extensive list of safety features and comes equipped with a security system to protect cargo.

Notable Achievements

• Coming soon

Arrival H3L3

The Arrival was developed to help drivers maximize functionality for real-world use. Features include real-time vehicle health monitoring and predictive maintenance to reduce downtime. The Arrival van also has a focus on comfort and safety, with extensive characteristics in each category.

Best Estimated Range

1. Tie between BrightDrop Zevo 400 and 600: 250 miles
2. Arrival H3L3 (111 kWh battery): 180 miles
3. Arrival H3L3 (89 kWh battery): 150 miles

Best Storage Capacity in Cubic Feet

1. Brightdrop Zevo 600: 600 ft3
2. Ford e-Transit (Extended body high roof): 487 ft3
3. Ford e-Transit (Long body high roof): 404 ft3

Best Payload (most, in pounds) (Top 3)

1. Arrival H3L3 (67 kWh battery): Up to 3,907 lbs.
2. Ford e-Transit (Long body low roof): Up to 3,700 lbs.
3. Ford e-Transit (Regular body low roof): Up to 3,800 lbs.

Tallest (Interior)

1. Brightdrop Zevo 600: 82 inches
2. Ford e-Transit Long: 81.5 inches
3. Ford e-Transit EL: 81.5 inches

At Merchants Fleet, we have 60 years of knowledge and experience with EVs and ICE vehicles. We have an extensive, growing inventory of EV fleet options and a wide variety of fleet support programs, including telematics, maintenance, consulting, leasing, and more.

Contact a fleet electrification expert to see how we can help at every step of your electric vehicle adoption journey.