Iveco eDaily Panel Van LCV (2023 - ) Electric review

The Iveco eDaily shares a lot with the standard Daily - its chassis, bodies and styling are all intact in the electric version, which will please existing operators looking to make the switch to electric power. This means that you can feasibly have any one of up to 200 variations including chassis cab, crew cab, drop-side pickups, freezer trucks, and many other other conversions in electric form. In its panel van format (the version I tested), the eDaily can be had in one of five lengths, three roof heights and various weight classes from 4.2 tonnes to the 7.2-tonne variant. Load volume isn’t affected by the battery packs which are stowed through modular installation of 1-3 batteries below the frame - this means that the max load volume of 20 cubic metres (depending on model chosen) is unaffected. The payload rating is up to 1598kg depending on which version you choose, although this top payload is only achieved in the version that comes with three battery packs - I’ll take a closer look at that aspect of the vehicle a bit later. Towing capacity is 3.5 tonnes, which is excellent when you consider that many electric vans cannot tow anywhere near that much… and as you’ll see from the pictures of the vehicle I was loaned, it’s a world record holder having towed 153 tonnes! Check out the video here.

The interior feels pretty classic large van - tough plastics, wearable fabrics and storage space all over the place. Cup holders sit at either end of the main dash, which is dominated by a nicely sized infotainment screen. The seats themselves are incredibly comfortable and need to be called out. Door storage is ample as is the underseat storage available underneath the bench seat. Overall, it’s a nice van to drive because the interior feels familiar. Hopping in and out of the eDaily is like hopping into any large van and you’ll feel right at home. Perhaps what lets it down is that feeling of familiarity. There’s not a lot in here that separates the eDaily from any other large van - it does the job.

Electric vans benefit (obviously) from only needing charging rather than refuelling, so cost savings can be made here. The vehicle’s up to 200-mile range means that charging downtime will not be needed as often (depending on driving style). Home charging will help keep your costs lower through being based on your tariff, and really it’s only charging out and about that will really impact your wallet. The most interesting element to the eDaily is the powertrain - you can choose how many battery packs you want the vehicle to have. You can have up to three battery packs, each rated at 37kWh capacity. You can buy an eDaily with only one battery pack (although you can only have the single-battery option in the smallest version of the chassis), which means a smaller range but might be all you need. If you want more range, you buy another battery pack - simple and modular. As you’d expect, less battery packs means less expenditure, so is a very nice option to have and to help save you some cash on acquisition. Top marks for this - it’s a very interesting approach. Although be aware that a single-battery vehicle is not rapid charge capable, while two and three-battery vehicles are. Also, finding one on a finance or lease deal will make the van even more friendly to your wallet and help with the starting price.

All eDaily vans come with a 3-year / 100,000-mile warranty and full repair and maintenance package as standard. The batteries have an 8-year warranty up to 80% of their charge, too, which is becoming standard across the industry. I always say, the more time or miles you get on a warranty, the more reliable the vehicle has been proved to be by the manufacturer. I take this warranty as peace of mind. As one of the toughest vans on the market, I hear good things from users of the Daily who applaud its reliability. It's also worth being aware that eDaily receives over-the-air updates ensuring vehicles stay on the road (rather than in workshops) through a connectivity option that lets the company's HQ in Italy monitor vehicle health and proactively respond to any potential issues before they happen. Very reassuring.

The max power of 140 kW and 400Nm peak torque of the motor when you engage the Hi-Power setting for overboost is a bit of a dream, offering some of the best performance in an electric van I’ve driven to-date. Drive selection allows you to tailor how the power is utilised - ‘Natural’ is the vehicle doing it’s own thing, ‘Eco’ saves energy and extends range, and ‘Power’ gives you all the boost all the time. The vehicle’s regenerative settings follow suit with ‘Standard’ being the vehicle left to its own judgement, ‘One Pedal Drive’ for maximum regenerative braking and power retention, and ‘Sailing’ letting the vehicle roll freely with little regeneration taking place when you lift off the accelerator.

The lowest 10.5m turning circle is achieved in the smallest, shortest version topping out at 16m higher up the size classes. I had no issues manoeuvring my test vehicle about the town streets and loved ‘opening it up’ where allowed. Particularly fun, while also making me feel like a fighter pilot engaging after burners, is the Hi-Power boost you can use in ‘Power’ mode - it draws from a temporary pool of power to allow you a burst of speed when overtaking or getting up a steep hill. Top marks here. Genuinely, this electric van is a pleasure to drive.

The eDaily comes with traction control, AEBS to avoid collisions, lane keep assist, crosswind assist, cruise control, hill descent control and queue assist. These are becoming standard options on a lot of larger vans these days, but I can’t help but add the vehicle’s toughness plays a big part in keeping it safe to drive. I never once felt out of control of the vehicle and it was reassuring to drive a larger van that didn’t experience corner wobbling while unloaded. It sits exactly where I’d expect a modern large van to sit on the safety equipment scale. Some offer more, but some offer less.

Equipment level is right where I’d expect the eDaily to be, with all the modcons you’d expect at the standard trim level, ‘Business’. Heated electric mirrors, adjustable steering wheel, speed limiter, cruise control, air con, sat nav, connectivity, etc, it’s all here. Higher trim levels ‘Evolution’ and ‘Connect’ offer more including automatic wipers, improved lumbar support, automatic wipers, automatic air con, adaptive cruise control, and more. Essentially, there’s an eDaily for everyone out there and it’s easy to configure at purchase. You can’t really ask for more from a large electric van.

If you’re already driving a diesel Daily, then the switch to electric is made easy into the eDaily so long as you configure it correctly for your needs. If you’re looking at the eDaily as your possible first electric van, you’d be hard pushed to find one this tough or capable of towing as much. Ultimately, electric vans need to have their benchmark vehicles and I consider the eDaily to be the benchmark for electric van durability. My impression is that you could bury it in the sand, dig it out 3 months later and it would still start the first time and drive trouble-free. The world-record towing wrap might have picked up a bit of wear from the sand… but the metal work will be completely intact.