Research Finds Fleets Are Being Used Over Longer Routes

New research suggests that businesses running electric vans are putting them to work on longer routes than many had expected. The 2025 Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer asked fleet operators who already use electric vans, or plan to do so, whether they anticipated vehicles covering more or fewer than 100 miles per day.

For small electric vans, 32% of respondents reported daily routes exceeding 100 miles, compared with 18% covering shorter distances. For medium vans, 30% reported usage above 100 miles against 17% below, while large vans saw 29% running over 100 miles and 27% under.

John Peters, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, said the findings challenge the “more pessimistic commentary” surrounding electric van uptake,

“They indicate that operators are not limiting their electric van ambitions to local routes. In fact, a basic calculation suggests the majority of these vehicles are covering 25,000 or more miles a year.

Clearly, these fleets are successfully overcoming the kind of range and payload objections that we hear about electric vans, and are using them in a similar, intensive manner as they would diesel panel vans.”

The study also revealed a fall in the number of fleets operating electric vans on sub-100-mile routes compared with 2024. Small vans dropped from 25% to 18%, and medium vans from 24% to 17%.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos between August and November 2024, interviewing 8,605 business decision-makers across 30 countries, including 300 participants in the UK.

Did you know?

Mercedes-Benz electric vans are already proving their capability on longer routes, with rapid charging to keep fleets moving.
They combine strong payload capacity with the efficiency and lower running costs of electric power.
Many businesses are finding electric vans cut operating costs while meeting sustainability goals.