Large vans constitute the second biggest volume sector in the UK’s light commercial vehicle market and make vital contributions to the economy whether in the guise of parcel delivery vans, or with racked out load boxes carrying tools and equipment for traders and utility companies, or when providing the chassis for the vast majority of conversions.
There are some big hitters within the sector’s ranks: last year the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter and Peugeot Boxer all featured in the list of top 10 sellers.
Not surprisingly, large vans were set to feature prominently at the CV Show with market leader Ford giving a first UK airing to its revised 2.0-tonne Transit, which features more fuel-efficient engines, such as a new mild hybrid-diesel drivetrain, as well as higher payloads and a wealth of built-in connectivity equipment.
Ford is introducing its EcoGuide technology to the Transit in the middle of this year.
The device, which integrates with onboard satnav, shows drivers when to slow down and change gears based on situations ahead and even out of sight, such as junctions, speed limits and hills.
According to Ford, this helps encourage a smoother driving style, potentially cutting fuel bills by as much as 12%.
Volkswagen-owned MAN was gearing up to unveil the latest derivative of its Crafter-based TGE heavy van, a 3.5t flatframe chassis cowl designed to provide a base for low-height Luton and box van conversions.
Moving up the weight scale, MAN is also bringing to market a 17-seat minibus modelled on a 5t TGE. Volkswagen itself is now focusing its energies on electric vans and gave a UK debut to its plug-in Crafter in Birmingham following its reveal at the Hanover IAA last year.
The brand is also expanding its “Working with You” conversion programme and has signalled its intent to move into the blue light sector with the production of a Crafter CR50 LWB riot van. A Crafter CR35 MWB minibus is another new addition to the line-up.
MAN was gearing up to unveil the latest derivative of its Crafter-based TGE heavy van, a 3.5t flatframe chassis cowl
Ford is introducing its EcoGuide technology to the Transit in the middle of this year.
(Continued from page 1) Bodybuilder Cartwright was planning to use the NEC event to showcase its new lightweight, rigid low-floor box van, displayed on a 3.5t Vauxhall Movano.
Cartwright is marketing the conversion as a low-entry delivery van that can withstand the punishment of busy parcel delivery assignments.
The current Movano is based on the Renault Master platform and heavily facelifted versions of both models are set to come to market in September.
Now that Vauxhall belongs to the PSA Group, however, the next generation of its large van is likely to be a rebadged version of the Citroen Relay and Peugeot Boxer, which are themselves the result of the longstanding ‘Sevel’ partnership between PSA and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).
PSA and FCA have recently extended this agreement, which sees the manufacturers build the Fiat Professional Ducato, the Peugeot Boxer and the Citroen Relay (badged Jumper outside of the UK) large vans at the Sevel Sud plant in Val Di Sangro, Atessa, Italy, until 2023.
PSA and FCA have confirmed the extended agreement will take in production of a large van for the Opel and Vauxhall brands.
In order to meet an expected increase in demand, PSA and FCA say production capacity at Sevel will be increased from 2019 with additional shifts and added in a joint statement:
“The agreement also foresees the complementary use of PSA Group manufacturing capacity to assemble certain versions of the large vans for the Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and Vauxhall brands in the medium term.”
A more imminent arrival to the large van sector will be a refreshed Iveco Daily, with the current iteration having been on sale for four years now.The Daily is available in diesel, gas and electric versions.
Timeline
Iveco Daily May 2019
Ford Transit EcoGuide June 2019
Renault Master September 2019
Vauxhall Movano September 2019
VW E-Crafter January 2021
