Peugeot Expert and E-Expert | Review

As part of its Pro One strategy for its commercial vehicles business, Stellantis has launched a full range of renewed and electrified compact, mid-sized and large vans.

In the UK this sees 12 vehicles in total across four brands - Citroen, Fiat Professional, Peugeot and Vauxhall – receive updated styling and technologies, while electric versions of all models are now available, with second-generation battery electric powertrains delivering greater range than before.

Sitting in the mid-size category for Peugeot is the updated Expert and electric e-Expert. Exterior changes include a new, more aerodynamic front-end design which now includes LED headlights and a grille which incorporates the brand’s new corporate branding.

This gives it a much more modern appearance than before, and this carries over into the cabin.

A new dashboard is more elegant than in the outgoing Expert, while the updated infotainment includes a 10-inch high-definition central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

A new steering wheel features integrated controls for key features, such as multimedia and telephone , while a range of new safety technologies is also fitted. There are plenty of storage spaces around the cabin.

Peugeot offers the Expert with a choice of two diesel engines and one fully-electric powertrain, two body lengths – M (4.98m long) and XL (5.33m long) – and as either a panel van or five- or six-seater extended crew van.

The standard panel van bodystyle offer load capacities of 5.3 cubic metres and 6.1 cubic metres in the M and XL lengths respectively. The crew vans have load spaces of 3.2 and 4.0 cubic metres.

Customers can increase the practicality of the panel van through Peugeot’s Moduwork technology  – standard on Asphalt trim level and a cost option on Professional.

This provides a load-through bulkhead and folding side passenger seat to extend the load length in XL versions up to 4m. This also increases carrying capacity to 6.6cu m.

The ICE versions are available with either a 1.5-litre BlueHDi engine producing 120PS or a 2.0-litre BlueHDi with an output of 145PS. WLTP combined fuel efficiency ranges from 34mpg to 44mpg.

The smaller-engined model is available only with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the more powerful variant can be specced with either the six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Maximum indicative payloads range from 1,121Kg to 1,375Kg, and all models have a maximum unbraked towing weight of 750Kg. The most powerful diesels can tow a braked trailer up to 2,500Kg

The electric e-Expert panel van can carry less weight, and has a payload of 1,001Kg (crew van is from 915Kg to 940Kg). The braked towing capacity for electric models is 1,000Kg.

The zero-emission model has a 136PS electric motor, and its 75kWh battery gives it a WLTP combined range of up to 217 miles, 12 miles more than its predecessor.

New e-Expert has a 7.4kW on-board AC charger, meaning the battery can be charged from empty to full in 11 hours and 20 minutes. An 11kW charger is available as an option and this cuts the recharging time to seven hours and 30 minutes. Using a 100kW DC rapid charger, it takes 45 minutes to take the battery from 0% to 80% capacity.

It also has three levels of regenerative braking, selected by using paddles mounted behind the steering wheel.

On the road, the Expert drives well. We tested the BlueHDi 145 in M body length and with a manual gearbox. With a 250Kg weight in the back, the van was surprisingly sprightly as well as offering a decent ride and good visibility.

Across the whole Expert and e-Expert range, two trim levels are offered: Professional and Asphalt.

The Professional trim comes with black plastic bumpers, steel wheels, air conditioning, rear parking sensors, i-Cockpit infotainment system and digital instrument cluster.

Asphalt adds body coloured bumpers and exterior trim, a reversing camera and separate digital rear-view mirror, blind spot monitoring and sat-nav.

The new Expert is available from £27,010 (ex VAT), with e-Expert starting at £41,210 (ex VAT).