e-Caravelle L2 160 kW 71 kWh (MY26)

The Volkswagen e-Caravelle L2 160 kW 71 kWh (MY26) is a 7-seat van-based people carrier with rear-wheel drive, on sale in the UK from £61,937. It accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 8.3 seconds, slower than 76% of the electric cars on sale in the UK. Its estimated real-world range is 171 miles (275 km) in a mix of town, country and motorway driving. That is longer than 13% of the 471 electric cars on sale in the UK, and 12th of 38 van-based people carriers.

It uses around 2.4 mi/kWh (258 Wh/km), less efficient than the typical EV on sale (3.5 mi/kWh). The usable battery holds 70.9 kWh and on a rapid charger it averages 105 kW between 10% and 80%. With one 15-minute charging stop, it can cover an estimated 173 miles (279 km) at motorway speeds.

It has a heat pump, which helps preserve range in cold weather, and it supports vehicle-to-load (V2L), so it can power appliances from its battery. The battery uses NCM chemistry, which stores more energy for its weight than LFP.

Its UK starting price works out at £362 per mile of real-world range, higher than the median for van-based people carriers (£296 per mile).