Renault prices its first software-defined van from £38,000 before VAT
The new Trafic E-Tech opens for pre-order with 800V charging and room for fleets’ own apps on the dashboard, but buyers pay more for the battery that covers regional work
- Entry model: L1H1 advance panel van with a 60kWh battery and up to 217 miles on the WLTP combined cycle
- Long range: 81kWh battery with up to 292 miles WLTP, from £43,000 before VAT
- Top of the range: extra crew van at £48,000 before VAT
- Load: 5.1–5.8 cubic meters, three Euro pallets and a payload of up to 1.3 tonnes
- Towing and height: tows up to 2 tonnes and stands 1.89m tall
The battery choice ties the price to the route: Renault pitches the smaller pack at urban work, so regional fleets start on the higher price step. The longer-term change is the software. A fleet that runs job scheduling or refrigeration control on the van’s own screen gains a tighter link between vehicle and operations, and depends on Renault’s update support over the van’s working life. That adds a switching cost at replacement time that sits outside the purchase price.
Renault opened pre-orders on 5 November for its new Trafic E-Tech electric van, with prices from £38,000 before VAT and first deliveries scheduled for Q2 2027. The list runs to seven versions, across two lengths, two trim levels and panel and crew van bodies.
The entry price sits £1,500 below the £39,500 basic price Renault set in February 2024 for the earlier 52kWh Trafic E-Tech, which it listed with a range of up to 186 miles and rapid charging at up to 50kW. The new van, named International Van of the Year 2027, uses an 800V electrical system that charges its 81kWh battery at up to 190kW, reaching 80% in about 20 minutes. Renault describes it as “currently the only medium-sized electric van in the UK market with 800V electrical architecture”.
Renault also calls the Trafic its first software-defined vehicle, meaning features can be added or changed through over-the-air updates after delivery. Businesses can put their own applications on the van’s systems. Renault’s examples are delivery firms showing schedules and routes on the dashboard, and refrigerated conversions managing onboard equipment through dedicated apps. It says the same architecture supports remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance.
The van enters a market where electric models remain a minority. Figures published on 5 November by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) put electric vans at 12.9% of October registrations, up 58% to 3,369 units, and 11% of the year to date. Trafic registrations stand at 12,766 for the first 10 months of 2026, sixth among light commercial vehicles, while the Ford Transit Custom leads on 42,326.
Sources
- Renault UK, “New Renault Trafic E-Tech electric: Renault Group‘s first Software-Defined Vehicle priced from £38,000 + VAT”, press release, 5 November 2026. https://www.press.renault.co.uk/releases/3481
- Renault UK, “New Renault Trafic E-Tech electric pricing and specification announced, with pre-orders now open”, press release, 14 February 2024. https://www.press.renault.co.uk/releases/3116
- Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, “Best ever October for new electric vans yet still just half mandated target”, 5 November 2026. https://www.smmt.co.uk/best-ever-october-for-new-electric-vans-yet-still-just-half-mandated-target/
- EV Fleet World, “New Renault Trafic E-Tech lands in UK from £38k + VAT with van grant eligibility”, 5 November 2026. https://evfleetworld.co.uk/new-renault-trafic-e-tech-lands-in-uk-from-38k-vat-with-van-grant-eligibility/
