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Toyota at last brings us a very large van - with a little help from its Stellantis Group LCV partnership agreement. And the Proace Max model in question can also be had in the Proace Max Electric guise we look at here. In its other forms, this design has always had a reputation for practicality and, sure enough, load volumes of up to 17 m³ can be accommodated. Here, there's a driving range of up to 260 miles too.
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Background
Toyota needs a full fleet of electric vans almost as much as it needs a complete portfolio of electric cars. The last piece in the LCV jigsaw in that respect is this model, the Proace Max Electric. Like other Toyota vans, this one is designed by Stellantis Group brands, who've been offering this design in EV form since 2020 (though we first saw combustion versions of it way back in 2006). Today, it's variously known as the Vauxhall Movano Electric, the Citroen e-Relay, the Peugeot e-Boxer and the Fiat e-Ducato. Why not have a Toyota version too?
At least that means the technology is proven, though you can't help wondering what the world's biggest motor manufacturer would have come up with if it had designed this LCV itself. The design which undergirds this Toyota Proace Max Electric has just been updated with the Stellantis brand models just mentioned: Toyota waited until this happened to introduce the Proace Max Electric because the previous EV version of that Stellantis design had a feeble driving range of just 154 miles; with that being increased to 260 miles, Toyota gave the green light to Proace Max sales - for diesel as well as electric. It's the EV version we look at here, which aims to establish Toyota in the EV part of the large van segment.
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Range data
| Min | Max |
| Price | 58000 | 68000 |
| Electric WLTP-Rated Driving Range (miles) | 260 | 260 |
| Min | Max |
| Length (mm) | 4035 | 4035 |
| Height (mm) | 2522 | 2522 |
| Payload Capacity (l) | 690 | 690 |
Driving experience
This Proace Max Electric uses a big Stellantis-derived 110kWh battery which takes this LCV 260 miles between charges. It powers an electric motor putting out 270bhp and 400Nm of torque - though you only get that with the fastest of the three available drive settings ('Power'). The default 'Normal' mode restricts this Toyota to 217bhp, while the 'Eco' setting you'll need to get anywhere near the quoted driving range figure restricts you to just 163bhp.
There are four selectable levels of brake regeneration, which are operated by paddles behind the steering wheel. Bear in mind that as usual with EV vans, the range figure will drop off quite a bit if you've a full load out back. This EV model's under-floor battery positioning results in a low centre of gravity, improving cornering and stability even when fully loaded. The steering's quite an old-fashioned set-up that's quite heavy at low speeds, but lightens up at faster ones.
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Design and build
Toyota has applied the revised front end treatment it's rolling out to all its vans to this Proace Max. But if you didn't happen to spot that or the badge work, you'd probably dismiss it as just another Boxer, Relay, Ducato or Movano. Your customers are certainly unlikely to guess that with this van, your company has switched to a full-EV for deliveries. Apart from the badging and the charging flap, there are no exterior giveaways to this Proace Max model's electric status.
Climb inside and you'll be greeted by decent quality cab trim and a reasonably modern dashboard layout. There's a configurable 7-inch driver's display that can show a sat nav. And a 10-inch central infotainment screen incorporating wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. As you'd expect, there's a dual passenger seat, this one incorporating a drop-down desk unit. Up to ten in-cab storage areas are available, including the glovebox, a dash-mounted document clip and various open or lidded compartments on the dashboard. In addition, there are large door pockets, storage space beneath the passenger seat and a sizeable 22-litre overhead storage compartment.
There's been a clear effort in design here not just to improve the perception of quality in the cab but also to beef up high use, high stress items such as the rear doors. These have been reinforced and high strength door hinges are used. Similarly, the sliding side load door gets reinforced rails, tough-design runners and security-tested door locks.
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Market and model
Expect similar pricing to this model Stellantis Group cousins, which means after deduction of the government's £5,000 Plug-in Van Grant, you're looking at starting figures beginning at around £58,000 on the road for the L3H2 version. Add around £1,000 more for the lengthier L4H2 variant. There's only one 75kWh battery option. To give you some price perspective, an equivalent 335 L3H2 140hp diesel version of this Proace Max costs from around £40,000 on the road. There's a wide variety of body shape options; at the time of this review, Toyota hadn't confirmed which would be available for the EV variant. The standard Proace Max range offers chassis and platform cab models, along with tipper and drop side versions. And crew cab variants with two rows of seating. With the standard Proace Max panel van, there are two wheelbases, three vehicle lengths and three roof heights.
Your business will get a reasonable amount of kit for its money. There's air conditioning, a 6-way driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, electronic cruise control with a speed limiter and a 5-inch colour centre touchscreen with Bluetooth. This monitor also provides a navigation system, which gives you online traffic information in real time. Safety features include forward collision alert, blind spot warning and lane departure warning. Key options include a spare wheel, a passenger airbag and 270-degree opening rear doors.
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Summary
Since so many LCV products are shared designs these days, particularly in the large van segment, operators now make their choices based as much on warranty and dealer service as vehicle attribute. And on that basis, this Proace Max Electric has a lot to recommend it.
There's a more comprehensive warranty than rivals will provide - and a dealer network that'll probably work harder to look after your business. Overall, if you get the right deal on this Toyota, we can see why you might like it.
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