New 2021 Vauxhall Combo-e Life arrives with 174-mile range
Small electric MPV shares a drivetrain with the Corsa-e supermini and can be specified in two sizes
The new fully electric version of Vauxhall's small Combo Life MPV is due in showrooms this autumn with up to seven seats and a range of 174 miles.
Arriving alongside closely related vans from PSA Group siblings Citroën and Peugeot, the Combo-e Life sits atop the same CMP electric architecture as the Vauxhall Corsa-e and Peugeot e-208.
Like those cars, it uses a front-mounted electric motor producing 134bhp and 192lb ft for a 0-60mph time of 11.2sec and a governed top speed of 80mph, which, Vauxhall says, makes it suitable "for both city use and longer motorway journeys".
The Combo-e's 50kWh battery offers a WLTP-certified range of 171 miles and is compatible with 100kW rapid charging so can be charged from empty to 80% capacity in 30 minutes. It is mounted under the floor to ensure the electric Combo offers the same load capacity as its combustion-engined counterpart.
The MPV is equipped with a 7.4kW single-phase on-board charger as standard but can be optionally upgraded with an 11kW three-phase device for faster domestic charging.
The passenger-carrying variant is available in five-seat standard form or with seven seats in long-wheelbase form. In commercial guise, the Combo-e has a 3800 litres cargo bay, while the larger 4.75m-long variant bumps that capacity up to 4400 litres. Both are rated to carry loads of up to 800kg and to tow up to 750kg. The longer van is also available in four-seat, crew-cab guise.
Otherwise, the Combo-e is familiar from the petrol and diesel variants that have been on sale since 2018. All Combo-e models will be equipped with smartphone compatibility as standard, with optional extras including a larger, 8.0in touchscreen and a raft of advanced driver aids.
The Combo-e Life is Vauxhall's second electric van-based MPV, following the larger Vivaro-e Life. An electric version of the firm's large Movano van is due later this year, but will not gain a Life version.
Prices have yet to be confirmed, but taking the Vivaro-e as an example, the electric Combo Life can be expected to command a slight premium over its conventionally fuelled sibling, likely amounting to a start price of around £25,000 after the government's plug-in car grant.
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*Citroën, Peugeot and Vauxhall to launch new electric MPVs in 2021*
*Vauxhall Combo Life review*
*Vauxhall Corsa-e 2020 long-term review*