The following testimonial is issued by John O’Neill of Lift, Shift and Store LTD, the winner of LDV’s EV80 Giveaway. John and his brother/business partner Mark were presented with their brand-new EV80 van at the Commercial Vehicle Show

in Birmingham on April 30th.

“The first thing that we noticed when we were presented with our prize EV80 van, was just how great the new front end looks.

“When the van arrived at our local dealer Bridgend Garage in Kilmarnock, we couldn’t wait to try it out. For someone who has never driven an electric van before, the first drive can feel a little strange. The power is instant when you put it into drive, and it is very quick off the mark. It is also very smooth with no jerky gear changing – something most van drivers are accustomed to. The road handling is great for a van of this size and corners more like a car. The turning circle is far better than the Vauxhall Movano and Renault Master that we have in our fleet at present.

“We have the hi-top EV80 which is ideal for us, with a huge load area and amazing payload for a van of this size. Access through the sliding side door or through the rear barn doors is substantial and can take standard-size pallets with ease. The cubic capacity is again ideal for us when we are fitting out show houses or local van-and-man jobs, there is loads of room in the back for sofas etc.

“Back into the cab area, the Apple Play touch screen is wonderful. Plug in your phone to one of the two USB ports and it will read out your text messages whilst driving along, you can also dictate your reply. We can also connect Spotify and Maps for an enjoyable drive. The Apple screen is just like an iPad and is very easy to use. The screen also turns into the reversing surveillance system with a great wide-angle view of what’s behind you. With electric windows, electric heated mirrors, steering wheel controls and a height adjustable driver’s seat, driving this van really does put a smile on your face.

“As for the range and charging needs, having an EV Van really does make you think more about the journey ahead in terms of how many miles you have to go and where the van can be charged. The 120 miles range is a lot for this size of a van. Your driving style will change as you try to beat your record for how many miles you can go without a charge. Sitting behind a 7.5-ton box truck or larger on the motorway is ideal for saving a few bars. With charging you do get into a routine, for example in the morning we have a truck that comes into our depot at 7 am, so whoever is coming in to meet the delivery truck will take the EV80 home the night before, drive back in the morning and park the EV80 up in our local car park which has a public charge point. The public charging point is a 1 min walk from our depot, so while the van charges, we have time to sort out deliveries for that day. Then it’s a matter of walking back down for the van, unplugging, driving back up to depot to load the day’s deliveries and away we go.

“As the van is charging in a public car park, we are also getting free advertising as people are seeing our branded van plugged in on their way to work. Image and reputation are everything in business, and what better way to show that your business is socially conscious than having an LDV EV80 electric van.

“The only point that’s worth noting, and I think that most EV drivers will say the same, is that the van is very quiet! When reversing in a busy town centre you really have to have your wits about you. People with faces in their phones just don’t hear you coming. The reverse camera and reverse sensors help but we are also thinking of getting a reverse warning audio beeper as well.

“Our business was built on LDVs. In the past, we had 200s, 400s, Pilots, Convoys and of course, a Maxus. In fact, we still have a 59reg Maxus as our spare van. It really is great to see them back on the market and wow how they have changed. Every van has top spec, there are no sneaky extras to add to the final price and each one comes with an amazing 5-year warranty. As a small business we like to get value for money and would say that if like us you need a good-looking van that’s priced right then take a look at LDV, you won’t be disappointed.”