Do hybrid vans make sense for last-mile delivery in South Africa?

In the passenger car space, hybrid vehicles — sometimes seen as a bridge to fully electric cars — make a strong case for themselves, giving South African motorists certain electrification benefits without range anxiety. So does the same “stepping stone” philosophy hold true for commercial vehicles used in last-mile courier delivery services?

There’s no reason it shouldn’t, particularly as the potential upsides for the light delivery industry are similarly significant. However, it’s interesting to note that despite South African new car buyers having what industry representative body Naamsa describes as the widest choice to market size ratio in the world, not one hybrid van is offered locally.

What are we missing out on? 

The van segment in some overseas markets — particularly in Europe, where regulations increasingly necessitate lower emissions — have traditional (so-called “self-charging”) hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The former combines a conventional internal combustion engine with an electric motor and battery pack, while the latter typically upgrades to a higher capacity battery and adds the ability to charge via a plug point.

According to Damian Velayadum, group financial director at Fastway Couriers, either hybrid configuration would bring benefits to South Africa’s last-mile delivery landscape. 

“Thanks to the seemingly relentless upward trajectory of fuel prices, petrol and diesel play a significant role in operational costs of local last-mile delivery services. Hybrid delivery vans would bring fuel savings, which would lower overall costs. When applied across a fleet, even a small consumption saving per vehicle would quickly add up.”

Examples of hybrid vans offered overseas include the new Ford Transit Custom plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and the new Ford Transit Connect PHEV, with the Toyota Corolla Commercial hybrid (the latter based on the wagon body style but with blanked-out rear glass and a spacious load area). 

“In addition, dual-powered vans would bring much needed versatility to delivery services that operate on a combination of urban and extra-urban routes. In congested city centres, for example, such a vehicle’s full-electric mode would see a reduction in emissions and noise, with combustion power reserved for longer highway stints.”

The environmental benefits of improving fuel consumption and lowering tailpipe emissions would align with the sustainability goals of many companies, helping them enhance their public image as environmentally responsible entities.

Still, as Velayadum points out, electrified vehicles tend to be saddled with higher purchase prices when compared with similar solely petrol- or diesel-powered models. Should hybrid vans become available in South Africa, this loftier initial investment could prove to be a barrier for small- to medium-sized delivery services.

As an aside, it’s interesting to note that several vanmakers have seemingly skipped hybrids altogether, going straight to fully electric commercial vehicles instead. Hybrid vans hold two advantages over pure electric versions: driving range and ease of refuelling (charging a fully electric van takes time, a commodity most delivery services can’t afford to waste).

For now at least, South Africa’s last-mile delivery companies don’t have the option of purchasing hybrid vans, which is a pity considering the potential benefits these versatile powertrains offer. Still, there’s a chance we’ll see such models arriving locally in future.