New Renault Trafic E-Tech: 2027 Van of the Year with up to 292 miles and 800V charging

Renault’s all-new electric Trafic has been named International Van of the Year 2027, and it is a big step on from the van it replaces. The new Trafic Van E-Tech Electric is built on a dedicated electric “skateboard” platform, uses 800-volt charging and, according to CAR Magazine, is projected to cover more than 292 miles on the WLTP test from an 81kWh battery, while carrying up to 1.3 tonnes and towing 2 tonnes.

That is a direct challenge to the Kia PV7, the most talked-about new electric van of the year. For tradespeople and fleets, the new Trafic tackles the two complaints most often made about electric vans: range when loaded, and towing. Our guide to electric vans for sole traders covers the wider choice.

What is new about the Trafic E-Tech?

Almost everything. The old Trafic E-Tech was a converted diesel van with a 52kWh battery, 186 miles of range, 50kW charging and a 920kg tow limit. The new one is designed around its battery from the start.

	New Trafic E-Tech	Previous Trafic E-Tech
Platform	Dedicated electric skateboard	Adapted from diesel van
Battery	81kWh long range (NMC); LFP urban option later	52kWh
WLTP range	More than 292 miles projected (about 280 quoted at reveal)	186 miles
City range	Up to 428 miles	Not quoted
Charging	800-volt; 15% to 80% in about 20 minutes	50kW; flat to full in about an hour
Motor	150kW (about 201bhp), 345Nm	90kW (about 120hp)
Payload	Up to 1.3 tonnes	About 1.1 tonnes
Towing	2 tonnes	920kg

Earlier figures from the 2025 reveal, reported by Fleet News, quoted about 280 miles for the long-range battery and 1.25 tonnes of payload, pending homologation. The later figures from CAR are higher, so check final UK specifications.

How practical is it?

Very, for a mid-size van. The L1 offers 5.1 cubic metres of load space at 4.87m long, and the L2 offers 5.8 cubic metres at 5.27m, with a 40cm longer wheelbase. Both take three Euro pallets, loadable from the side or rear, and the loading height is just 53cm.

Overall height is about 1.89m to 1.90m, so it should fit in most multi-storey and underground car parks. With the motor at the rear and a short front overhang, the turning circle is just 10.3 metres, the same as a Renault Clio.

How fast does it charge?

The Trafic is Renault’s first vehicle with 800-volt charging. Renault says it can charge from 15% to 80% in about 20 minutes, recovering about 161 miles, and CAR reports it can add about 174 miles in 10 minutes.

Renault’s head of vans, Jan Ptacek, explained why that matters even for vans that charge overnight: when a van stops, the business stops. Faster top-ups mean less downtime on long days.

Efficiency is impressive for a van: Renault expects about 17kWh per 100km, which CAR equates to about 3.66 miles per kWh.

What about technology?

The Trafic is built around centralised computers and software that can be updated over the air. LG supplies an integrated digital cockpit, combining the instrument cluster and infotainment, and describes the van as Europe’s first commercial software-defined vehicle, according to the Korea Herald.

The cab has a tube-shaped dashboard with a 10-inch instrument display and a 12-inch central screen angled towards the driver, running Android Automotive like Renault’s cars. There is plenty of open and closed storage, and the upholstery uses a mix of blue denim-style and grey fabric.

It also offers vehicle-to-load, to power tools or a laptop from the van, and vehicle-to-grid, which could let fleets sell energy back to the grid. Our report on electric van and V2G opportunities covers how fleets are using that.

How does it compare with the Kia PV7?

CAR Magazine puts them side by side:

	Renault Trafic E-Tech	Kia PV7
Payload	Up to 1.3 tonnes	Up to 1.2 tonnes
Load volume	Up to 5.8 cubic metres	Up to 8.0 cubic metres
Battery	81kWh	96.2kWh
Projected WLTP range	More than 292 miles	More than 285 miles
Loading height	53cm	55cm
Towing	2 tonnes	Not stated here

The Kia has more space; the Renault carries more, tows well and goes further on a smaller battery. Kia also offers a seven-year warranty. Both are worth considering.

What will it cost?

UK prices for the new Trafic E-Tech have not been confirmed in our sources. The outgoing model was priced from £34,500 plus VAT after the government’s plug-in van grant. Renault promises the new van will be about 10% cheaper to run than an equivalent diesel, according to CAR. Our guide to electric vans eligible for the Plug-in Van Grant explains current support, and our guide to tax benefits of electric vans covers the business case.

What does “software-defined” mean for a van?

A software-defined vehicle runs most of its functions through a small number of powerful central computers, rather than dozens of separate control units. LG, which supplies the Trafic’s integrated digital cockpit, says this simplifies components and vehicle architecture and lets manufacturers add or improve features through over-the-air updates.

For a business, that could mean:

• New features without a dealer visit. Updates to navigation, charging management or driver assistance can be delivered remotely.
• Better fleet integration. Connected vans can share location, battery status and charging data with fleet management systems.
• Fewer workshop trips for software fixes, reducing downtime.

The trade-off is reliance on software support over the van’s life, which can be ten years or more for a working vehicle. Fleets should ask how long updates are guaranteed.

Why does 800-volt charging matter for a van?

Most electric vans charge overnight at a depot or at home, so rapid charging speed might seem less important than for a car. But Renault’s head of vans, Jan Ptacek, made the key point: when a van stops, the business stops. A tradesperson who needs to top up between jobs, or a courier who runs out of range late in the day, loses time and money waiting at a charger.

The previous Trafic E-Tech took about an hour to charge fully on a 50kW charger. The new one’s 15% to 80% in about 20 minutes on a suitable charger means a lunchtime stop can add more than 150 miles. That makes electric vans viable for more long-distance and unpredictable routes.

What are vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-grid?

The new Trafic has both:

• Vehicle-to-load (V2L) lets you power equipment from the van’s battery, through a socket in the cab’s charging area or an adapter. For trades, that could mean running power tools or charging laptops on site without a generator.
• Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) lets the van send electricity back to the grid when parked and plugged in, with the right charger and energy tariff. Fleets with vans parked at depots overnight could earn money or cut energy bills by supplying power at peak times.

V2G is still at an early stage in the UK, with limited tariffs and compatible chargers, but commercial fleets are seen as one of the most promising uses because their vans follow predictable schedules.

Is now a good time to switch to an electric van?

Electric van registrations have been growing, but they are still below the ZEV mandate’s target for vans, which requires 24% of new van sales to be zero-emission in 2026. That means van makers are under pressure to offer competitive deals.

For businesses, the main questions are:

1. Duty cycle. Does your daily mileage, including cold winter days and full loads, fit comfortably within real-world range?
2. Charging. Can you charge at home or at a depot overnight?
3. Payload and towing. Does the van carry and tow what you need? The new Trafic’s 1.3-tonne payload and 2-tonne towing remove two common barriers.
4. Total cost. Include fuel savings, servicing, tax and any grants. Electric vans pay much lower benefit-in-kind tax for drivers who take them home, and our tax benefits of electric vans guide explains the rules.

Our electric van sales report shows how quickly the market is moving.

How does the new Trafic compare with Renault’s other electric vans?

Renault already sells the larger Master E-Tech, International Van of the Year 2025, with an 87kWh battery, up to 285 miles of range and 130kW charging, and the smaller Kangoo E-Tech. The new Trafic fills the middle of the range with newer technology than either.

Our view

The new Trafic E-Tech fixes almost every weakness of the old one: range, charging speed and towing. A 2-tonne tow rating and a 1.3-tonne payload in an electric mid-size van are genuinely useful for trades, and 800-volt charging cuts downtime. With electric van sales still behind target, vans like this, built electric from the ground up, are what the market needs. We will update this story with UK prices.