My e‑Transporter van life - Chris Welbourne

Business has been good the past couple of years. More jobs, bigger contracts, heavier loads. That’s brilliant – until you realise your van hasn’t grown with you. I’d already made the switch to electric, but my older-generation van was starting to feel tight for what I needed day to day. Running my fencing business in East Yorkshire means hauling timber, fence posts and concrete, and towing regularly. I needed more space and more capability, so I started looking for a bigger van.  

I’d seen the e‑Transporter around, and when I started seeing some sensible lease deals, it definitely caught my attention! I went down to the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Centre in Hull, sat in one, got the tape measure out and made sure it would work for how I operate. You can read dimensions online all day long, but it’s different when you’re physically standing inside it thinking about storage and load length. Once I’d seen it in person, it was pretty much decided.

One of the biggest factors was towing capacity. The e‑Transporter offers up to 2.5 tonnes – that’s about the heaviest towing capacity you’ll get from an EV at the moment. That matters when I might need to collect over a tonne of concrete and fence posts in one go. I can’t afford to compromise that side of things.  

And the way it tows is impressive. The torque is instant. There are no gears, there’s no lag – you just pull away smoothly. Even with a loaded trailer on the back, it doesn’t feel strained. Yes, towing affects the range, but that’s the same as loading up a diesel and watching the fuel drop faster. Even with tools in the back and timber on the trailer, I’m seeing around 2.4 to 2.5 miles per kilowatt. For a working van, I’m more than happy with that.

Most of my charging is done at home. I’m on an intelligent tariff, so I plug it in at the end of the day and it sorts itself out overnight. It’s become part of the routine – lock up, plug in, done. I don’t miss petrol stations at all. On longer runs, fast charging does exactly what it says on the tin. By the time you’ve had a quick break and a drink, you’re ready to get moving again.  

I went for the Commerce Plus spec because it isn’t just my work van – it’s my main vehicle. I’m doing school runs, shopping trips, everything. Heated seats, big screens, proper full-size Apple CarPlay – it’s a comfortable place to spend time. The visibility’s good too, with big windows and a wide windscreen. It doesn’t feel restrictive like some vans can. And it’s actually fun to drive – it zips off, especially in Sport mode. For something that spends most of its life hauling materials, it’s surprisingly lively when you want it to be.

Inside, I’ve fitted it out properly with racking, pull-out drawers and organised storage. Efficiency matters on site. I don’t want to be digging around for tools – everything has its place. The van’s basically a blank canvas when you get it, and I’ve set it up to suit how I work.  

I’ve done nearly 5,000 miles in it so far, and it’s delivered exactly what I expected. People are always curious when they see an electric van on site – especially other trades. But once I explain the towing capacity and the day-to-day reality, most are surprised.

For me, it’s simple. It’s bigger, more capable, and better-suited to where my business is now. It carries what I need, tows what I need, and it’s comfortable enough that I don’t mind being in it all day.

Going electric wasn’t the experiment – that happened two years ago. This is the upgrade. And I wouldn’t go back.