Citroen Berlingo EV: PSA Group expands its electric technology with e-Berlingo
Multi-award-winning Citroen Berlingo commercial lease in an all-electric van? This is the news we've been waiting for - the e-Berlingo! According to the latest PSA announcement, this pure-electric Citroen e-Berlingo is due to go on sale in winter this year, 2021. What's more, it will shortly be joined by all-electric versions of the Vauxhall Combo and Peugeot Partner. That means that the Nissan eNV200 van lease and Renault Kangoo ZE electric lease will have three new rivals in the small electric van sector. We are especially interested to see the competition between the e-Berlingo and Kangoo ZE, which is unquestionably the most popular electric van in the UK at the moment, and our top van leasing deal of 2020 and 2021 so far.
Image: Renault Kangoo ZE - a top competitor in the small electric van market.
What do we know about the new Citroen e-Berlingo?
Driving Range, Battery Size, and Charging time
The same as Citroen e-Dispatch, the e-Berlingo will be based on PSA's EMP2 platform and also sharing the same 134bhp electric motor and 50kWh battery pack. It's also worth adding that the e-Berlingo comes with an automatic gearbox.
Citroen claims that the all-electric Berlingo van will be able to travel 171 miles on a single charge and at the maximum speed of 81 mph. These figures are nearly identical to the Kangoo ZE's so if you want to get an idea of what to expect in real road conditions then explore our Renault Kangoo ZE review. And if you've already driven the electric Renault Kangoo van then it sounds as if you've had a taster of what the e-Berlingo will be like.
When connected to a fast-charger, the Citroen e-Berlingo will take around 30 minutes to charge to 80%. When plugged into a 7.4kW wall box charger, it will take around 7.5 hr to charge the battery in full. Just to compare, Renault Kangoo ZE takes 6 hrs to charge its battery in the same conditions.
e-Berlingo body styles, sizes and payload
Citroen has placed the all-electric Berlingo's battery under the van's floor to keep the carrying capacity at the same level as the regular version. e-Berlingo buyers will be able to choose from two body sizes, which Citroen called M and XL. The panel van will accommodate up to three people, while the longer e-Berlingo model will also come as a five-seater crew van.
Load capacity looks impressive with the promised load volume of 3.3m3-4.4m3 depending on the body length. e-Berlingo has enough space for two Euro pallets, even in a shorter version, but the Extenso Cabin load-through bulkhead is able to increase load length if required. The maximum payload of the all-electric Berlingo van is 800kg and the e-Berlingo maximum towing capacity is 750kg.
Some changes to the interior and more storage when it comes to the e-Berlingo electric van
Citroen has made some necessary updates to the Berlingo's interior to make it suitable for the needs of the electric powertrain. There's a new three-stage drive mode selector (Normal, Eco and Power) and an updated version of the standard van's 5in infotainment system featuring a special display to provide important information on the remaining range and the battery's charge. The electric Berlingo has more storage bins inside the cabin, too - a total of 113 litres worth.
Citroen electric Berlingo equipment
The Citroen Berlingo is packed with clever technology making it stand out in the small van sector and you wouldn't expect anything less from its EV version. Citroen e-Berlingo equipment includes keyless entry and start, electric parking brake, front parking sensors, hill start assist, a reversing camera, and a load of safety equipment, which includes active lane-keeping assist, safety brake, a traffic sign recognition and trailer assist systems.
Connectivity includes emergency assistance as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Citroen even offers a few optional extras exclusive to the e-Berlingo, like a colour head-up display. Citroen UK has announced that the e-Berlingo will come with an 8.0-inch infotainment system but we were a bit disappointed not to hear anything about the 10-inch tablet-style system mentioned during the European release.
How much will the e-Berlingo cost?
Citroen is yet to announce the prices for the new all-electric Berlingo van. We should hear more details closer to the release date, which is set for the last quarter of 2021. As soon as we have more information on e-Berlingo pricing, we will update this page.
Having been leasing this excellent Berlingo van to our customers for many years and following its great success in the UK's small van sector, we have no doubts that the e-Berlingo is a small electric van worth looking out for. Meanwhile, if you are looking for an electric van that is available now, check our electric van leasing deals, and especially our top-selling Renault Kangoo ZE finance and contract hire offers.