Author Archives: Van Rental

UK CV production falls as exports slump in August

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UK commercial vehicle production fell by 12.2% to 3,185 units in August, thanks to a 21.9% drop in the number of vehicles exported.

The figures, compiled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), show that total UK CV production has now fallen by 3.2% so far this year, compared to the same period last year.

CV output, August 2016

UK CV output, August 2016 (source: SMMT)

After the rapid recovery seen in 2014/15, a moderate slowdown in demand isn’t entirely surprising. It’s probably fair to assume that the backlog of renewals has now cleared and companies are moving back to a normal replacement cycle.

Commenting on the figures, Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said:

“Underlying demand for UK CV production is broadly stable, despite the headline falls that are predominantly due to a strong performance in 2015 driven by regulatory changes that altered fleet renewal patterns. It’s a trend we expect to continue throughout the year. For long term strength to be upheld, maintaining competitive trading conditions and global demand will be vital.”

Here’s how CV output has changed since 2008. The ramp up in demand over the last couple of years is clear. In comparison, last month’s slowdown is quite modest. I don’t think it’s a cause for concern.

CV output rolling year Aug 08-16

Source: SMMT (www.smmt.co.uk)

Southern Self Drive logo

Portsmouth & Fareham van hire: Southern Self Drive

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Southern Self Drive logoI’m very pleased to welcome Southern Self Drive of Portsmouth and Fareham to vanrental.co.uk.

Southern Self Drive has branches in Portsmouth and Fareham and offers a wide range of vans for hire. These include:

  • Compact vans (e.g. Peugeot Bipper)
  • Small vans (e.g. VW Caddy, Nissan NV200)
  • Medium vans (e.g. Ford Transit Custom SWB)
  • Long wheelbase bans (e.g. VW Crafter LWB)
  • Luton box vans with and without tail lifts
  • 3.5t dropwell luton vans — maximum cubic capacity for removals
  • 3.5t dropside
  • 3.5t tipper
  • 7.5t box van with tail lift

As you can see, there’s something for almost all requirements. If that’s not enough, Southern Self Drive also offers car transporter hire, minibus hire and a wide range of cars.

All vehicles come with insurance and breakdown cover. A delivery and collection service is available, covering most areas in Hampshire, Dorset, Sussex, Surrey, Essex and Kent.

Southern also offers a Continental hire services for vans, allowing drivers to travel outside the UK. You’ll need to arrange this in advance and additional charges will apply, as is usual for this service.

To find out more or to arrange a hire, contact Southern Self Drive direct:

If you’d like to see your van hire business listed on vanrental.co.uk, visit our advertising page to sign up.

TISPOL Project EDWARD

Can we do it? A European Day Without A Road Death in 2016

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TISPOL Project EDWARDVirtually all of us have pushed our luck behind the wheel at some point. Driving when tired, distracted, on the phone or even after a few drinks. Risky overtaking manoeuvres.

But the reality of this kind of behaviour is that it can lead to tragic and avoidable road deaths — and shattered lives for those who are left behind.

That’s why we are supporting the Europe-wide initiative by TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, to work towards a European Day Without A Road Death (Project Edward) on 21 September 2016.

Anyone wanting to support Project Edward is simply asked to take and keep the pledge below:

  • Remind my family, friends and colleagues to take extra care on the roads.
  • Put my lights on for safety.
  • Drive as safely as I can and follow the rules when behind the wheel or riding a motorbike or bicycle.
  • Be extra vigilant and attentive to the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, children, older people and horse riders.
  • Drive at speeds that are both legal and safe.
  • Pay particular attention when driving near schools, and where there are lots of children.
  • Never drive after drinking alcohol or taking drugs/medicines that could impair safety.
  • Look as far ahead as possible and not tailgate other drivers
  • Always wear my seat belt and ensure that everyone with me wears theirs.
  • Not use my mobile phone while driving.
  • Ensuring I am not distracted by anything inside or outside the car, or inside my head.
  • Set a good example to my passengers by driving calmly and safely.

To take the pledge yourself, visit the Project Edward website — click here.

Jersey Post Nissan e-NV200 van

Jersey Post’s e-NV200 vans should deliver electric conversion for islanders

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Given that the island of Jersey is only about 12 miles long, you’d have to wonder why local businesses are not all using electric vehicles already. Range anxiety is unlikely to be a problem and the winters are mild, reducing the chances of cold weather performance problems.

It seems that Jersey Post — at least — is getting the message. The Channel Island’s postal service recently bought 15 Nissan e-NV200 electric vans to use for mail delivery across Jersey.

Jersey Post Nissan e-NV200 van

Jersey Post Nissan e-NV200 van

The electric vans are the first electric vehicles to be added to the company’s fleet of more than 100 vehicles and their purchase follows an 18-month trial.

Andy Jehan, Director of Operations at Jersey Post, now seems to have the bit between his teeth. Mr Jehan sounds like an enthusiastic convert to electric vehicles:

“The Nissan e-NV200 was the right vehicle for us on every level. The vans are going to make a very significant contribution in our ambition to lower the environmental impact of our fleet and help preserve the beauty of our island – both in terms of carbon emissions and noise – and they’re also ideal for the short distance, stop/start driving that the job involves.

“The value is exceptional too, our decision to switch being ultimately based on the financial projections we have made on whole life costs. If our projections prove accurate, then there’s no reason why many more of our vehicles shouldn’t be electric.”

The addition of the advanced all-electric vans will reduce Jersey Post’s carbon footprint by 35 tonnes a year. Nissan’s 100,000 miles, five-year warranty means that Jersey Post shouldn’t have any worrise about reliability issues — the vans were supplied and will be maintained by the island’s own Nissan dealer.

Nissan claims that low running costs mean that the e-NV200 will cost £1,200 less to run than a conventional diesel van over four years. Given the low mileage, stop-start conditions for driving on the Channel Islands, you’d have to imagine that if the e-NV200 vans are trouble free, local sales of electric cars and vans could rocket.

All-new Volkswagen Crafter

All-new Volkswagen Crafter unveiled at global launch

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No fewer than 69 versions of the new Volkswagen Crafter will be available to order by mid-2017.

The all-new model marks a bold change for Volkswagen, as previous versions of the Crafter have simply been Mercedes-Benz Sprinters fitted with VW engines.

All-new Volkswagen Crafter

Here’s an overview of the choices that will be available once the model roll-out is completed next year:

  • 4 base models, 3 lengths, 3 heights
  • Front, rear or 4MOTION all-wheel drive
  • Manual or automatic gearbox
  • Payload of up to 5.5 tonnes (i.e. 7.5 tonne gross weight?)
  • Maximum cargo volume of 18.4 cubic metres
  • Panel van, single and double cab chassis cab models plus conversion options such as tippers
  • The new Crafter will be available ex-factory with additional equipment such as ex factory as a second compressor for refrigeration or fresh produce applications, four variants of a second battery, a second air conditioner and a second heat exchanger for a fuel-operated auxiliary heating system.

Essentially the Crafter offers everything that the Mercedes Sprinter, Iveco Daily and Ford Transit offer — the three other heavy vans in the market from which VW will hope to take market share.

Cab shot of new Volkswagen Crafter

Inside the new Volkswagen Crafter

One criticism of past Crafters is that they lacked pulling power when fully loaded, due to using car-derived 2.0 TDI engines. Volkswagen says that the Euro 6 EA 288 Commercial 2.0-litre TDI engine used in the new van is has been developed to meet the needs of commercial use and should offer an improved performance.

Pre-sales of the new Crafter begin in November 2016. UK launch is expected in Spring 2017. The first models to hit the roads seem likely to be front-wheel drive models, which will offer gross weights of 3.0-4.0t and engine power ratings from 102 PS to 177 PS.

From around mid-2017, the powertrains on offer will be supplemented by the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system with a transversely mounted engine and the rear-wheel drive system with a longitudinally mounted engine.

BCA van auction

Used van prices set £6,000+ record in August — BCA

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Used van prices at BCA set a new record in August, rising over £6,000 for the first time to £6,089. That’s 2.6% (£158) more than in July, and 10.5% (£582) more than in August 2015.

Of course, vehicle mix and average age will have affected this high price. Vans sold last month were on average two months younger and had 5,000 fewer miles on the clock than in August 2015:

All vans Avg Age (mnths) Avg Mileage Avg Value
August 2015 55.78 75,763 £5,507
August 2016 53.66 70,853 £6,089

Data courtesy of BCA

BCA’s Head of Commercial Vehicles, Duncan Ward, commented:

“The LCV market in August was particularly strong at BCA considering the holiday season was still in full swing. Conversion rates improved and demand was significantly stronger than we had seen in July.”

BCA van auction

August’s rise was the result of a sharp rise in values for vans sold as part-exchange vehicles. The average price of a part-ex van rose by £282 to more than £4,000 in August.

In contrast the average value of ex-fleet and lease vans rose by just £1 in August. These 3-4 year old vehicles form a large part of the used van market and are perhaps the most liquid and consistent indicator of market conditions.

Condition remained as important as ever in terms of securing a decent price, but Duncan Ward also commented that with wholesale volumes rising, “there is no room for complacency” — despite recent price rises.

I’d take this to mean that Mr Ward believes prices are unlikely to rise further and could fall — but we’ll know more when September’s sales figures go through.

Back to uni in a van

Heading to University? There are still a few vans left!

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Moving house with a van

You just can’t get all of this into a car!

The ‘university commute’ is now gathering speed.

Even as I write, many of the UK’s 1.7 million undergraduate students are moving out of their parents’ homes and into university accommodation.

Each year, we see a big surge of demand for rental vans at this time. But availability is limited.

Renters who wait until the last minute to book may be disappointed, or forced to rent a van that’s much bigger or smaller than they want.

If you or your children are heading to university this autumn and you’re planning to hire a van, act now! The big hire companies still have some availability in most areas, but popular vans and locations are selling out fast!

To make sure you don’t miss out, start now. To compare quotes from leading UK van hire companies, click here now.

If you’re not sure where to start, then here are a few suggestions:

Finally, if you’ve got any questions about anything to do with van hire, leave a comment or get in touch and we’ll do our best to help:

GVT OX

Flat-packed OX van is ready to roll

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Back in 2013 we reported on the OX, a flat-pack truck designed for Africa. Fast-forward three years and the OX is ready to go into production.

GVT OX

The Global Vehicle Trust OX, designed by Professor Gordon Murray

THe OX is the result of several years of hard work by Sir Torquil Norman’s Global Vehicle Trust and designer Gordon Murray. The flat-pack design means that six flat-packed OX’s can be shipped in one 40ft high-cube shipping container. Three trained technicians can put together an OX in approximately 12 hours, so assembly time is fairly minimal.

The OX is only 4.3m long — significantly less than a short wheelbase van or a pickup. Despite this, the load area is big enough to hold eight 44-gallon drums, three Euro pallets or 13 people. Maximum payload is 1,900kg — roughly double most medium vans and pickups.

The GVT OX

The Global Vehicles Trust OX, designed by Gordon Murray.

As it’s primarily designed for Africa, the OX has to be able to perform well off road. Although it’s two-wheel drive, the OX has been engineered to ensure that a the front (drive) wheels are always well loaded with weight, providing good traction in all conditions. GVT believe that the OX’s all-terrain ability is “as good, or better, than a four-wheel drive across a range of surfaces”.

The OX is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine that’s taken from a Ford Transit. The engine and running gear should be reliable and relatively straightforward to service, albeit not as simple and indestructible as older non-turbo diesel engines might be.

GVT founder Sir Torquil Norman says that feedback from aid agencies and contacts in Africa has been positive. Sir Torquil is now focused on finding funding to put the OX into production. There’s no word on the likely price, but low cost was one a key element of the design brief, so I’d expect the price to be significantly lower than a European van or pickup.

Peugeot Boxer BlueHDi Euro 6

Peugeot Boxer goes Euro 6 with updated BlueHDi engines

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The Peugeot Boxer van will now be sold with an updated range of 2.0-litre BlueHDi Euro 6 diesel engines.

This new engine means that all of Peugeot’s van models have now been updates with Euro 6 power plants in order to meet the 1 September deadline after which all new LCVs sold in the UK (and throughout the EU) must meet Euro 6 emissions standards.

Peugeot Boxer BlueHDi Euro 6

The Peugeot Boxer is now Euro 6 compliant, thanks to a new range of 2.0-litre BlueHDi engines.

Improved Performance

The new engine is available in three power levels, all of which are paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox:

  • 110hp and 300Nm, an increase of 50Nm compared to the previous engine
  • 130hp and 340Nm, an increase of 20Nm compared to the previous engine
  • 160hp and 350Nm, an increase of 10hp compared to the previous engine

Stop & Start is standard or optional across the range. Peugeot says thatthe new engine means that the Boxer can now claim record official fuel consumption figures in the large van segment, with the 130hp version offering 47.0mpg with 154g/km of CO2, a reduction of 30g/km CO2 compared to the Euro 5 version.

Euro 6 is not universally popular with van buyers, in part because the addition of an AdBlue tank and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) hardware can cause payload to fall. Peugeot is keen to emphasise that this isn’t the case here.

The Euro 6 Boxer has the same payload as the Euro 5 models. Slightly oddly, Peugeot is also reassuring customers that maximum speed is the same. I’m not sure that’s a big concern for most van operators, but what will be pleasing for drivers is that the performance of the 110hp engine is significantly improved.

According to Peugeot, the 110hp will accelerate from 0-62mph up to 4 seconds quicker than the outgoing model. Overtaking should also be easier, thanks to a reduction of up to 8 seconds in the 50-80mph in-gear acceleration test.

Extra testing for van use

This 2.0-litre engine is a new addition to Peugeot’s van range, but has been in use in the firm’s cars — such as the 508 and 308 — since 2013. To try and make sure that it offers the kind of durability required for commercial vehicle use, Peugeot has subjected the engine to a tougher testing regime than for cars:

  • Specific tests to boost the endurance and durability of the turbo and the exhaust manifold;
  • Tests with a 50% greater load than for private vehicles;
  • Tests in climatic chambers at -30°C and 6,000 extra cycles of thermal shocks compared to private vehicles, equivalent to 15 years of heavy use;
  • Specific ground clearance and endurance tests of the exhaust pipe, with post-treatment spraying with water and mud.

Prices for the updated Boxer start from £20,970, with Professional models from £21,970 and Window vans from £23,070.

UK Van registrations Aug10-16

New van registrations hit 11-year high in August

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New van registrations clocked their best performance since 2006 in August. A total of 15,385 new LCVs were registered, 6.3% more than during the same month last year. The biggest increase was in the large van (2.5-3.5t category), where registrations rose by 14% to more than 9,600, accounting for 63% of the UK LCV market.

Overall performance for the first eight months of the year remained steady, with a 2.9% increase in demand totalling 231,857 new van registrations.

Here’s how UK van registrations have changed since August 2010:

UK Van registrations Aug10-16

UK Van registrations from August 2010-2016. Courtesy of SMMT.

Commenting on the figures, Mike Hawes, Chief Executive, SMMT, said:

“After a slower July, it is good to see growth in the new van market pick up again in August, with a record made in this traditionally quiet month. To ensure this performance continues, it is vital that government takes the necessary steps to secure economic stability and maintain confidence for operators to continue to invest in their fleets.”

Top-selling vans

There were few surprises in the best-seller tables for August. Ford retained its position as the best-selling van manufacturer, with 4,040 new registrations in August and 70,707 so far in 2016. In both cases that’s significantly more than the second and third-placed Vauxhall and Volkswagen:

Best selling LCVs August 2016

Ford has dominated the LCV sales charts this year (data courtesy of SMMT)

Although sales during August were unusually high for the time of year, August is traditionally a quiet month and sales are much lower than most other months. For example, Ford’s 4,040 total is 45% lower than the 7,428 vehicles registered for the manufacturer in July.

This lack of volume can lead to quirky results — Renault isn’t really the tenth best-selling van manufacturer in the UK. What’s more likely is that the French firm didn’t register any large fleet orders in August.

Will the van market’s strength continue into the new registration month of September? It will be fascinating to see, as van registrations are often considered to be a useful barometer of the state of the real economy.