Battery vans funded for the businesses that actually benefit — urban multi-drop, clean air zones and fleets with a depot to charge at.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Yes, electric vans are fundable, and the panel of lenders writing them has widened considerably. They are treated as commercial vehicles and usually funded on hire purchase or a lease. The honest complication is residual value. Used values for battery vans have been less settled than for diesel, so funders are cautious about what a three or four-year-old eLCV will be worth, and that shapes the structure they offer. The other thing owners underestimate is charging: a van that cannot reliably charge overnight at base is an operational problem no finance agreement can fix.
Used kit: Yes, though used electric vans are a younger market — lenders will want battery health evidence and remaining manufacturer warranty, and will value more conservatively than a diesel equivalent.
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Business asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what this shows — with the equivalent APR underneath, because the two are not the same number. A quick guide only; your actual rate depends on the asset, term, deposit and lender.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 6.0% flat rate (equivalent to 11.5% APR representative), you would repay around £646 a month; total amount repayable approximately £31,000, of which £6,000 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).
Underwriting an eLCV is mostly a residual value question. Funders have less historical data than they have on diesel vans, so some structure agreements to reduce their exposure at the back end, and others will only write new. Used electric vans are getting easier to place but battery state of health is now a genuine underwriting item — a report from the dealer helps. Manufacturer battery warranties are looked at closely, because a transferable warranty supports the resale case. Fleet applicants with depot charging get the warmest reception since the funder can see the vehicle will actually be used. Sole traders and new starts are placeable but the deposit expectation tends to be firmer than on an equivalent diesel. Declines cluster around older used eLCVs with unknown battery history, imported vehicles, and operators whose duty cycle plainly exceeds the realistic range.
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Ford E-Transit | Electric large van for urban fleets |
| Ford E-Transit Custom | Electric medium van for trade use |
| Vauxhall Vivaro Electric | Medium electric van for city work |
| Mercedes-Benz eSprinter | Large electric van for clean air zones |
| Renault Master E-Tech | Electric large van for distribution |
| Maxus eDeliver 3 | Small electric van with long warranty |
| Maxus eDeliver 9 | Large electric van with big battery |
| Citroen e-Dispatch | Electric medium van for multi-drop |
| Peugeot E-Boxer | Large electric van for parcel work |
| Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo | Electric medium van for retail fleets |
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Urban multi-drop couriers, facilities and maintenance contractors working inside clean air and ultra low emission zones, local authority suppliers with emissions clauses in their tenders, and service businesses running predictable daily mileage from a fixed depot. The trigger is usually a zone charge that has started biting, a customer sustainability requirement written into a contract renewal, or a fleet policy that has set a date for the last diesel.
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We publish the deals we arrange, with no client named and no rate quoted. See what we have funded in vans and fleet.
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Not harder to get approved, but structured more cautiously. Because used values are still settling, funders build in more allowance for what the van will be worth at the end. Expect a slightly narrower panel on older used stock and a firmer view on deposit for newer businesses.
On used electric vans, increasingly yes. A state of health report from the selling dealer removes the biggest unknown in the valuation. Remaining manufacturer battery warranty matters too, since a transferable warranty makes the van far easier for a funder to sell on.
Often yes. Depot charging equipment is a fundable asset in its own right and can sit on a separate agreement alongside the vehicles. It is worth planning both together, because a fleet of electric vans without adequate charging capacity causes operational problems immediately.
It depends almost entirely on your daily mileage pattern and where you park overnight. Predictable urban routes from a fixed base suit them well. Long unpredictable days with no charging at home rarely do. Run your actual route data before deciding, not the brochure range.
Electric vans are commercial vehicles and generally fall under the plant and machinery treatment rather than the restricted car rules, and there are additional incentives for zero emission vehicles. The detail changes periodically, so ask your accountant to confirm the current position for your business.
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See everything we fund in van and light commercial finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
We are a broker, not a dealer — we have no stake in which van you choose. These are written on that basis.
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 07581 364281 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.