Petrol is currently one of the most significant and unpredictable costs for any business that spends time on the road, and this means that the fuel efficiency of a vehicle needs to be considered before a purchase. Miles per gallon (mpg) is the overall indicator of this feature, and it is also often broken down into statistics for urban and motorway/long-distance driving - this will always be less efficient in built-up areas, where the constant 'stop-start' motoring guzzles the gas! It may be tempting to save a few hundred pounds when comparing van prices, but this saving could soon be eaten up if you are constantly finding yourself standing at the pumps.
Many small vans are met with derision from buyers due to the fact that they are often just a converted car. However, if your storage needs are not too excessive, this could prove to be an efficient solution. The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic Van (1.6 TDCi) claims to be able to provide 85.6 mpg, and this is mainly down to its ECOnetic system - a design that involves significant adjustments to aerodynamics, resistance and efficiency. Along with these refinements to the existing design, the van still gives drivers some serious zip, punch, bite, or any other word that means 'responsive while being powerful!'
If your needs demand a conventional van, the Peugeot Bipper 1.3 HDi EGC delivers 68.9 mpg. It manages to provide this efficiency while also having an easy-access loading bay and ample storage of 2.5 cubic metres. For many buyers this would be an effective combination of efficiency and storage space, and you should always demand this information from your van dealer, such as westernvancentre.co.uk.
Fans of Mercedes vans will already be familiar with their larger commercial vehicles, but the Citan 109 CDI BlueEfficiency is one of their first smaller options, and it has a fuel efficiency of 65.7 mpg. The Renault Kangoo provided the foundations for this vehicle, and Mercedes-Benz engineers and designers have made a number of changes to improve efficiency and performance. Reliability is also a key factor when buying a new van, and in a similar manner to their cars, Mercedes vans benefit from German engineering excellence.
When moving up to a larger commercial vehicle, the added weight and surface area will always have a knock-on effect upon the overall efficiency. However, Ford has harnessed the ECOnetic concept to 'Transform their Transit' - perhaps they should use those words in their next brochure! The Ford Transit ECOnetic Medium Roof 350 LWB 2.2 TDCi 125PS may have a name that is a major effort to remember, but the fuel efficiency of 39.8 mpg is one of the best in its class for a van of that size.
At a close second to the Transit, the Fiat Ducato 2.3 MultiJet LWB HR Tecnico is only 0.6 mpg lower. It is closely related to the Peugeot Boxer and the Citroen Relay, but it delivers far better fuel performance. In this mini-battle, the Italians have trounced this French tag-team of larger vehicles!
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