Renault’s new Trafic Van E-Tech electric has been named International Van of the Year 2027, taking the prestigious commercial vehicle award following a unanimous vote by the 26-member European jury. The award was presented at the IAA Transportation show in Hanover on September 14th and marks the sixth time a Renault light commercial vehicle has taken the title, following previous successes for the Master, Trafic and Kangoo.
The jury recognised the new electric Trafic for its combination of efficiency, innovation, safety, environmental performance and everyday practicality. It arrives as part of a new generation of electric Renault commercial vehicles and represents a significant technological step forward from the company’s existing electric van range.
Built on a new dedicated electric platform, the Trafic Van E-Tech electric introduces Renault’s Software-Defined Van architecture, allowing vehicle functions and systems to be updated and enhanced throughout its working life. Production will take place at Renault’s Sandouville plant in France, with the new model combining a relatively compact footprint with the load-carrying ability required by professional users. Since its introduction in 1980, more than 2.8 million examples of the Trafic have been sold.
Among the headline figures is a projected driving range of more than 470 kilometres on the combined cycle, although final homologation remains to be completed. An 800-volt electrical architecture also brings significantly faster charging, with Renault claiming as much as 280 kilometres of additional range can be recovered in approximately 20 minutes. Despite its commercial vehicle dimensions, a 10.3-metre turning circle is comparable to that of a Renault Clio and should make the Trafic particularly manoeuvrable in urban environments.
There is also an Irish connection to the story, with the new Renault Trafic Van E-Tech electric set to make its Irish public debut at the NEVO EV Show in RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin, on November 7th and 8th. Visitors will therefore get an early opportunity to see the newly crowned International Van of the Year ahead of its arrival on the Irish market.
Irish pricing, final specifications and launch timing will be announced closer to its introduction!
