The Ford Transit has often been described as the 'backbone of Britain', the vehicle that's kept this country moving for decade after decade. It's such a common sight on British roads, and such a pivotal part of the fabric of British society, that it's name has become common parlance to describe large vans of all types.

The latest version, originally introduced in 2014, is the best yet, and if anything, the electric version, which followed in 2023, is the best of the bunch. It the most civilised vehicle of its type to drive, and that's only enhanced by the all-electric powertrain. There's a standard range battery that delivers up to 196 miles of driving on a full charge, or an extended range battery that gives you up to 249 miles.

Like Transits that have gone before, you have seemingly infinite choices when it comes to your combination of wheelbase, length, roof height, payload, and GVW, so there really is a Transit to suit all needs.

The Ford Transit Custom is slightly smaller than the full-size Transit we've just been talking about, but in the current market, it's an even bigger success. The Transit Custom is the UK's biggest-selling van, and Ford usually sells more of them in a year than its biggest-selling car (the Puma SUV, if you were wondering).

Why so successful? Well, primarily because it's the best van of its type. Like its bigger brother, it offers you stacks of choice over length, height, payload and all the rest of it, and there are some genuinely ingenious touches - like a steering wheel that tilts to become a table for either your lunch or your laptop, depending on what time of the day it is - to make your working day that little bit easier.

On the road, the Custom delivers a mix of comfort and agility that no other van can match, and depending on the spec of your van, it can take you up to 209 miles on a single charge. Alternatively, if you'd still like an element of city-friendliness, but you occasionally need to do the odd longer schlep, then the Custom is also available as a plug-in hybrid, with an all-electric range of up to 35 miles, and a 2.5-litre petrol engine to keep you going once your battery is depleted.

Designed for delivery drivers and city-based van operators, the Mercedes eVito covers 93 miles on a single charge and can carry payloads weighing up to 1073kg. The medium-size e-van is ideal for city based couriers who do short distances, especially when you consider the expensive DPF problems that cause headaches for diesel drivers.

The all-electric van takes six hours to fully charge and the electric battery pack is stored under the loadspace floor, so it doesn't impact load capacity. However, unlike some electric vehicles, you can’t hook the van up to a rapid charging point to boost the battery to 80 per cent in 40 or 50 minutes. With 300Nm of torque available, the eVito easily whistles its way onto fast moving roads, however, the van struggles for performance once you pass 50mph. 

The Mercedes eVito is available in two load lengths - long and extra long - and cargo volumes range from 6.0- to 6.6 cubic metres. Payloads are similar for both versions, with the long models carrying 1043kg and the extra long van taking 1073kg. All get twin side sliding doors as standard and gross vehicle weights (GVW) peak at 3.2 tonnes.

The e-NV200 has been around for donkey's years now, and has been replaced by the excellent Townstar, of which there is an all-electric variant. However, as a super-cheap used buy, we reckon there's still plenty to recommend the NV.

Nissan gave use the first mass-market EV with the Leaf, so the e-NV200 is not the firm's first rodeo when it comes to electric vehicles. In fact, the e-NV200 is based on the Leaf, so you know the technology is tried, tested and reliable – critical for a working vehicle.

A compact van, the e-NV200 has a 40kWh battery with an official range of 124 miles. Of course, that’s subject to change if it’s fully loaded with 770kg (there’s a 4.2-cubic-metre load volume and a 2.4-metre long load bay).

Charging times are similar to the Leaf with the van capable of being fully charged from a standard socket overnight, or topped up to 80% from a rapid charger in 30 minutes.

Citroen, Peugeot and Vauxhall have been sharing a van platform for a while, so it makes sense that they’ll all have an electric version with just a few subtle tweaks between each model. So alongside the Citroen e-Dispatch, there's also the Peugeot e-Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro Electric (see further down).

Drivers can choose between a 50kWh battery for a 143-mile range, or a 75kWh battery for a 205-mile range.  The e-Dispatch comes comes in three different body lengths, and because of its zero tailpipe emissions status, you can enter the London ULEZ without having to pay.

The e-Dispatch offers a payload of more than 1200kg and up to 6.6m3 of load capacity, plus there's a useable load length of up to 4 metres when fitted with the optional moduwork system.

Electric versions of the hugely popular Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner Electric were among the early entries into the world of zero emissions vans. And while they can still cut it, they’re definitely looking a bit out of date compared to new rivals.

Still, with an official range of 106 miles and costing around £23k, this French load-lugger could is still a good fit for many drivers – but don’t buy until you’ve read our review.

That’s because these vans are based on the previous generation models – not only are they not as good the latest models but you also don’t get a lot of kit. You need to make sure the battery is right for you, too, because while it’s small it doesn’t take long to charge – but there’s no fast charging option.

The Vauxhall Vivaro Electric (previously called the Vivaro-e before a rebrand) is one of a trio: its equivalents are the Citroen e-Dispatch and Peugeot e-Expert, with Vauxhall part of the same Stellantis Group.

Vauxhall Vivaro Electric buyers can choose the full-length panel van or a double-cab version with two rows of seats. The e-van claims a payload of up to 1226kg, with owners able to specify a short or long wheelbase model. Vauxhall also says the Vivaro Electric has a maximum towing capacity of 1000kg.

The 50kWh battery has a range of up to 143 miles, while the optional 75kWh battery claims a range of up to 205 miles. Charging from empty to 80% takes 30 minutes from a 100kW rapid-charger, with the 75kWh pack taking 45 minutes. A 74kW on-board charger is fitted as standard, but a three-phase 11kW unit can be equipped for faster charging times.

The Vivaro Electric is equipped as standard with the same array of driver aids and interior kit as the regular Vivaro, so all versions get a head-up display, lane-keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition, automatic emergency braking and a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. 

Here’s a slightly different take on the electric van. It’s made by LEVC and is based on their taxi. Unlike a hybrid van, this is a range extender. That means there’s no connection between the wheels and the 1.5-litre three-cylinder – the engine simply acts as a generator to keep the battery topped up.

And the 31kWh battery in VN5 has an all-electric range of 58 miles. Or 300 if you need to use the range extender. It won’t suit everyone, but it’s handy if you can do a lot of stop-start low mileage work but need to throw in the occasional long run.

It’s not a bad little worker, either, with a payload of 830kg and a cargo volume of 5 cubic metres making it ideal for city life.

The Fiat Ducato is an Italian institution. It has been keeping Italy moving for the best part of 35 years. Until a few years back, anyone in the market for an electric version was forced to buy an aftermarket conversion, but Fiat has since sorted out a factory version.

Available from 2021, the E-Ducato offers all the same sizes as the regular Ducato. That means there’s plenty of choice when it comes to payloads, with the biggest being 1.9 tonnes.

Would-be buyers can choose from two batteries variants. There’s a 47kWh that offers a range of 137 miles, or a 79kWh that can go as far as 224 miles on a charge.

Before we get into all the spoddy van stuff, let's take a moment to appreciate what the Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo can do for your business from a PR perspective. After all, it has a level of cool style that no other van can even come close to, with all those styling cues that pay homage to the iconic Type 2 Bus of the 1950s and 60s. As such, if yours is a business that would benefit from a funky, slightly bohemian image, then you could do a lot worse than slap your logo on the side on one of these bad boys, and rock up to jobs to a chorus of oohs and ahhs.

There's a lot more to the ID.Buzz than just it's looks, though. It's based on the same electric platform as all of the company's other ID cars, so it's a comfortable and civilised thing to drive, and it has an interior that's high in quality and smartly styled. All versions have a 77kWh battery for a range of up to 254 miles, and it'll rapid charge at a rate of up to 170 kW. The load compartment volume goes up to 3.9 cubic metres, and you get sliding doors on either side, plus a liftgate opening at the very back.