Charging an electric van: time, cost and home chargers
Quick answer
- Overnight at home on a 7kW charger adds about 20 miles of range an hour.
- On a rapid charger, the vans below go from 10% to 80% in roughly 25–45 minutes.
- Adding 50kWh costs about £13 at home on a standard tariff and £40 on a public rapid charger.
- A home charger typically costs £800–£1,200 fitted. Renters and flat owners can get up to £500 off until March 2027.
How long does an electric van take to charge?
It depends on the charger and the van. AC chargers at home or a depot are slower; DC rapid chargers on the public network are much faster.
- Home (7kW AC): adds about 7kWh an hour. At around 2.8 miles per kWh, that's roughly 20 miles of range for each hour plugged in, so a 71kWh battery takes about 9 hours to go from 10% to full.
- Depot (11kW or 22kW AC): faster, if the van can accept it. The Ford E-Transit's 22kW AC charger fills it in under six hours. [2]
- Rapid (DC): the fastest way to top up during a working day.
| Van | Battery | Rapid charge |
|---|---|---|
| Ford E-Transit Courier | 43kWh | 10–80% in just over 23 minutes [1] |
| Ford E-Transit | 89kWh | 10–80% in about 28 minutes [2] |
| Ford E-Transit Custom | 71kWh | 10–80% in 29 minutes [3] |
| Renault Master E-Tech | 87kWh | 142 miles of range in about 30 minutes [4] |
| Mercedes-Benz eSprinter | 113kWh | 10–80% in 42 minutes [5] |
Rapid charging slows down as the battery fills, which is why times are usually quoted to 80%. Cold batteries charge more slowly too.
How much does it cost to charge an electric van?
| Where you charge | Price | Cost of 50kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Home, standard tariff | 26.32p a kWh [6] | £13 |
| Home, off-peak EV tariff | about 5p–8p a kWh [7] | £2.50–£4 |
| Public standard charger | 54p a kWh [8] | £27 |
| Public rapid charger | 80p a kWh [8] | £40 |
The home standard rate is the household price cap for October to December 2026, which has no VAT in Great Britain until 31 March 2027. Public prices are July 2026 averages including VAT, which VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim. Business electricity tariffs vary. The miles estimate assumes 2.8 miles per kWh.
For cost per mile against diesel, see diesel vs electric vans.
Can I charge an electric van at home?
Yes, if you have off-street parking. Most people fit a 7kW wall charger, which typically costs £800–£1,200 supplied and fitted, or more in London and the South East. If your fuse board needs upgrading, that usually adds £300–£800. [9]
- Grant: the government's EV chargepoint grant pays up to £500 towards a home charger for renters and flat owners. It runs until 31 March 2027, which is its final year. [10]
- Tariff: an off-peak EV tariff can cut the cost of overnight charging to a fraction of the standard rate (see the table above).
- A company van at home: agree with your employer how you'll be repaid for the electricity before you start.
Can I charge an electric van without a driveway?
Sometimes. A growing number of councils allow a cross-pavement channel, which lets a cable run safely from your home charger to a van parked on the street. Around 42% of councils in England, Scotland and Wales expect to offer it by the end of 2026, but rules and costs vary: some install the channel free, others charge over £1,000. Ask your council. [11]
Otherwise, you'll rely on public chargers, or on charging at a depot or workplace.
What does a depot or workplace charger cost?
| Charger | Best for | Installed cost |
|---|---|---|
| 22kW AC | Vans parked overnight or for several hours | about £2,200–£3,500 per socket [12] |
| 50kW DC rapid | Quick top-ups between shifts | about £18,000–£28,000 per charger [12] |
The biggest variable is the electricity supply. A few 22kW AC chargers usually work with the existing supply, but rapid DC chargers often need a grid connection upgrade, which can add £5,000–£40,000. Get a quote from your network operator early. [12] [13]
Most vans spend the night parked, so a few AC chargers usually cover most of a fleet's needs at a fraction of the cost of rapid DC. The grants below reduce the cost further.
What grants are there for depot and workplace charging?
- Depot Charging Scheme: pays 70% of chargepoint and installation costs for 2026/27 projects, up to £1 million per organisation. The next window opens 28 October 2026 and closes 29 January 2027. Details.
- Workplace Charging Scheme: £500 per socket, for up to 40 sockets, until 31 March 2027. [10]
- Tax relief: businesses can deduct the full cost of new chargepoints from profits in the year they buy them (a 100% first-year allowance) until April 2027. Details.
How does public charging work for vans?
- Price: public charging averaged 54p a kWh on standard chargers and 80p a kWh on rapid and ultra-rapid chargers in July 2026. Prices on the biggest rapid networks ranged from 59p to 92p a kWh. [8]
- Cost per mile: relying on rapid chargers can cost about as much per mile as diesel, so they work best as a top-up rather than your main way of charging.
- Space: check the bay before you set off with a long or high-roof van. Not every charging bay is big enough for a large van, and some are under canopies.
Choosing a van? See electric vans compared: range, payload and price.
Sources
- Ford E-Transit Courier review, What Van?: whatvan.co.uk
- Ford E-Transit range boost, Fleet News: fleetnews.co.uk; Van Reviewer: vanreviewer.co.uk
- 2026 Ford E-Transit Custom update, Van Reviewer: vanreviewer.co.uk
- Renault Master E-Tech on sale, Fleet World: fleetworld.co.uk
- Mercedes-Benz eSprinter review, Fleet News: fleetnews.co.uk
- Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, Ofgem: ofgem.gov.uk
- Off-peak EV tariffs, 2026: heatable.co.uk
- Charging Price Index, July 2026, Zapmap: zapmap.com
- Home EV charger installation costs, 2026, Heatable: heatable.co.uk
- Electric vehicle chargepoint grants, GOV.UK: gov.uk
- Councils and cross-pavement charging, Transport + Energy: transportandenergy.com; Motoring Research: motoringresearch.com
- Commercial EV charger installation costs, 2026, Excel Energy: excelenergy.co.uk
- Commercial EV charger installation costs, Swift Charging: swiftcharging.co.uk