# Electric vans for business > Real-world range against the WLTP figure, the payload cost of battery weight, the 4.25-tonne licence allowance, charging, grants and the 2026 rule changes. Source: https://fleetme.co.uk/guides/electric-vans-for-business --- # Electric vans for business By [the FleetMe team](https://fleetme.co.uk/about) · Updated 14 October 2026 · 9 min read The short answer **An electric van works best on predictable routes with overnight depot charging. Expect real-world range well below the WLTP figure, a payload reduced by battery weight, and a 4,250kg allowance on a standard car licence since June 2025.** ## Real-world range against the WLTP figure ## The payload problem, and the 4.25-tonne answer ## What changes when you go above 3.5 tonnes ## Charging: the depot is the decision ## Grants and what they mean on a lease ## The running-cost maths that actually decides it ## Why supply and choice keep improving ## When an electric van is the wrong answer ## Put a price on it Tell us the vehicle, the term and the annual mileage you need and we come back with a written quote, and we aim to do that the same working day. Rentals are quoted ex VAT with the VAT-inclusive figure alongside, and your agreement is with FleetMe. How many vehicles do you need? Takes a minute. No obligation. ## Enquiry received, one step to go. We can put a guide figure together from what you ve told us. To confirm the vehicle, the monthly rental and a delivery date **in writing**, we need your business details and the underwriting information. Next step · about 5 minutes Complete your business application It s pre-filled from your answers. Nothing is committed until we confirm your quote and you sign. No obligation · About 5 minutes Prefer to leave it there? We ll still be in touch about your enquiry. ## FAQs ### Can I drive a 4.25-tonne electric van on a normal car licence? Yes. Since 10 June 2025, category B licence holders can drive zero-emission vehicles up to 4,250kg maximum authorised mass, with the previous five-hour training requirement removed and towing permitted to a 7-tonne combination (SI 2025/608). It applies to electric and hydrogen vehicles only, not hybrids. ### How much range does an electric van really do? Less than the WLTP figure, which is measured unladen in laboratory conditions. Payload, motorway speed and cold weather all reduce it; urban stop-start work is the kindest case thanks to regeneration. Plan from a loaded winter route rather than the brochure figure. ### Do electric vans have less payload? On the same 3.5-tonne chassis, yes, the battery adds kerbweight, which comes straight out of payload. The 4,250kg licence allowance for zero-emission vehicles is what makes a like-for-like replacement realistic, because the extra 750kg offsets the battery weight. ### Is there still a grant for electric vans? The plug-in van grant reduces the price at the point of sale, up to £2,500 for small vans up to 2,500kg and up to £5,000 for large vans up to 4,250kg, capped at 35% of the price (gov.uk). Scheme dates and rates change, so ask us to confirm in writing whether a grant is reflected in your quote. ### Do electric vans pay road tax? Yes, since April 2025. Most electric vans have moved to the standard annual rate for light goods vehicles, which is £360 for 2026/27 for vehicles registered on or after 1 March 2001. There is no longer a VED advantage, the savings are in energy, servicing and clean-air charges. ### Do electric vans need a tachograph above 3.5 tonnes? From 1 June 2026, zero-emission goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes but not over 4.25 tonnes carrying goods are exempt from tachograph rules, as are gas or electric vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes used within 100km of base (SI 2026/501). There is also an existing operator licensing exemption in that weight band. ### Are electric vans exempt from ULEZ and Clean Air Zone charges? Yes, a zero-emission van is not charged in London’s ULEZ or in any English Clean Air Zone. From 2 January 2026, electric vans registered for Auto Pay also receive a 50% discount on the London Congestion Charge, which rose to £18 a day (Transport for London, 2026). ## Next step Business van leasing → How the monthly rental is built, what is included, and who business contract hire is for. Business van leasing eligibility → The honest answer on who gets considered, and what we look at when we assess a business. Or go straight to the range: [browse vans and pickups](https://fleetme.co.uk/vans) · [company cars](https://fleetme.co.uk/cars) ## Related