Citroen e-Dispatch Review 2024

The Citroen Dispatch is a popular selling diesel panel van but how does it fare as an electric van? – Read our Citroen e-Dispatch review to find out.

First, the important bits. The Citroen e-Dispatch is fully electric, ideal for urban deliveries and low-emission zones. But more than that, it has a torquey 145PS electric motor, meaning it is perfectly capable when carrying heavy loads.

A full charge will give it a quoted range of 143 miles or 196 miles depending on battery choice – not sufficient for long-distance work, but on a par with the best electric vans in its class and more than suitable for a day of city delivery rounds, which is where the Citroen e-Dispatch is in its element.

There are two battery options – 50kWh and 75kWh. The smaller of the two is used in smaller car models from the Stellantis Group (which includes Peugeot, Fiat and Vauxhall) and can manage a claimed 143 miles. It has its place, but the pricier 75kWh option is by far the better van and is claimed to cover 196 miles on a charge.

The range is better than that of the Mercedes eVito and Volkswagen eTransporter, while a longer range model is rumoured to be waiting in the wings as battery technology continues to evolve.

In addition, the Citroen e-Dispatch uses kinetic regenerative braking technology to partly recharge the battery, meaning that it’s often at its best on urban rounds.  

Overall electric range will vary depending on wheelbase, with small, medium and large models available, but unlike with some rivals there’s no double cab option.

Like most battery-powered vans, the extra weight of the battery and electric motor takes its toll on overall payload, so the Citroen e-Dispatch concedes 200kg to diesel-powered versions of the standard Citroen Dispatch.

It will still carry a ton though, which will be enough for most electric van users. The load bay is flat and not impeded at all by the battery, which lives under the floor, and there’s very little wheelarch intrusion.

There are twin side doors offered as an option and these can be configured as fully electric via the options list, which is helpful for loading in busy streets.

A choice of two specifications is available: Enterprise Pro and Driver Pro. The former is aimed at fleet operators and sits on steel wheels, while the Driver Pro is more suited to the owner-operator and comes with a plusher specification. Only the Enterprise Pro is offered in all three body lengths, with the Driver Pro being medium only.

The Citroen e-Dispatch is a comfortable van, with three front seats, the passenger bench being designed to fold down to create a work surface or writing table – a neat feature that will be appreciated by many tradespeople.

In entry-level Citroen e-Dispatch Enterprise Pro specification you get a reasonable amount of kit. It sits on 16-inch steel wheels, but benefits from twin sliding doors, a load-through bulkhead flap for long items and useful driver aids such as rear parking sensors, automatic lights and windscreen wipers, a seven-inch touchscreen and a DAB infotainment system that’s also compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Driver Pro spec adds 17-inch  alloy wheels, body-coloured front and rear bumpers, metallic paint, LED daytime running lights, front parking sensors and a 180-degree rear parking camera, along with a head-up display. 

It also gets better safety kit, including lane-departure warning and speed-limit recognition.

It’s reasonably spacious upfront, but there are fewer cubby spaces than in the Ford Transit Custom, for example. Forward visibility is great, but rear vision isn’t great – the mirrors aren’t as good as they could be, and you find yourself relying on the reversing sensors a bit too much when squeezing into tight spaces.

The dash is ergonomically laid-out, though, and the controls straightforward and easy-to-read, while the driver’s seat is extremely comfortable even for a whole day’s work.

On the road, you get to select from three power options. To get the maximum range you’ll need to use it in ‘Eco’ mode. In ‘Normal’, battery range will drop by about 10 per cent, but the van is notably livelier to drive. ‘Power’ will reduce that range further and should only really be used for overtakes and fast getaways.

Overnight charging, which will work for many users, takes just under eight hours for the smaller battery but over 11 for the bigger one – so make sure you plug it in as soon as you’re home from work.

Fast charging is available and uses an optional 11kW on-board charger, which drops the charging time of the larger battery to seven hours with a compatible charger. 100kW DC rapid charging can get you an 80% charge in around 45 minutes, but will cost more.

Overall, the Citroen e-Dispatch is a decent electric van but do bear in mind that the equivalent models from Vauxhall, Peugeot and joint-venture partner Toyota are broadly identical other than specification, so you may want to shop around between brands to be sure of the best deal.