The new Farizon SV electric van has been put through its paces in this year’s Greenfleet Explorer EV Rally. Across five days and more than a thousand miles each, the fleet of three vans not only held their own but, in some cases, comfortably beat their official WLTP figures.

The rally, which ran from Newquay to Cheshire via a meandering route that included coastal roads, motorways, city streets, and a fair bit of rain, wasn’t a gentle test. The vans weren’t packed with the maximum payload, but they were far from empty – one carried a fridge powered by the van’s vehicle-to-load socket, another had a Sortimo racking system installed, and all were packed with event kit, luggage, and multiple people.

Farizon SV in the Greenfleet Explorer EV Rally

Despite that, the SVs impressed. The largest model, the L3H3 with its 106kWh battery, achieved 2.40 miles per kWh – almost 10% better than its WLTP combined figure. The L2H2 version went 1.5% better than its official rating, and the smaller L1H1 model ran just shy of its WLTP figure.

Among the drivers were motoring journalist Mark Smyth, EV Café’s Paul Kirby, and six-time Guinness World Record economy champion Kevin Booker, alongside other fleet managers and industry specialists. Each brought their own driving style and experience, giving the SV a real-world workout.

And then there was my stint behind the wheel on behalf of Professional Van. Driving the mid-size L2H2 model on the leg from the CENEX show at Millbrook Proving Ground to Drax Electric Vehicles in Ipswich, I managed to squeeze out 3.1 miles per kWh. That works out to a real-world range of more than 250 miles – a 34% improvement on the official WLTP figure.

I did push things a little close to the wire, rolling into a Fastned charger in Colchester the following morning with the dash showing ‘— miles’ remaining. After a charge (from 0% to 89% in around 40 minutes) and a personal top-up (a caramel latte and bacon roll from Greggs), it was over to Silverstone, before handing the van over to the next driver.

Farizon’s UK general manager, Calum James, wasn’t surprised: “People are used to taking the official range and efficiency stats with a pinch of salt, so I’m very proud that the data collected demonstrates just how efficient the Farizon SV is in the real world, on real roads.”

Farizon SV vans in the Greenfleet Explorer EV Rally

It helps that the SV is a ground-up EV. With a drag coefficient of just 0.29, a lightweight body, and batteries built directly into the pack rather than modules, it’s designed to squeeze out every drop of efficiency. Farizon claims it’s the lightest van in its class, around 38kg lighter than its nearest rival.

Officially, the SV offers up to 342 miles on the city cycle or up to 247 miles combined, depending on battery size. On the road, as the rally showed, it seems happy to better those numbers, even when loaded.

Charging the Farizon SV at Fastned in the Greenfleet Explorer EV Rally

The van is now in the UK, priced from £45,000 plus VAT, pitching it against the likes of the Ford E-Transit, Mercedes eSprinter and Renault Master E-Tech.

Phil Huff
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