Author Archives: Van Rental

Milkshake anyone? V8-powered milk float gets sideways

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The traditional electric milk float is a dying breed these days, but this 1961 Morris milk float has survived with a vengeance.

Powered by a 3.5-litre Rover V8, Mel Smith’s milk float churns up the tarmac at every opportunity. Rumour has it that the milkfloat was originally converted by a previous London-based owner who used it to tow a speedboat, but the details of ‘Milky’s’ history are a bit hazy.

V8-powered milk float

‘Milky’ is a 1961 Morris milk float powered by a 3.5-litre Rover V8!

This fire-breathing one-off was recently fitted with a new set of Falken tyres and put to the test by Team Falken’s drift driver, Matt Carter.

Commenting on his time with Milky, Carter, whose usual ride is a 600hp Nissan Skyline GT-R, said:

“Compared to my 600+bhp Nissan competition car, this was still more of a pig than a cow to drift. With no seat belts or doors, it was a case of hanging on rather than hanging the tail out!”

Funnily enough, a quick Google reveals that V8-powered milk floats are surprisingly popular. Weetabix recently had a go,  while the ‘Rods n Sods’ forum reveals the existence of at least one other example…

Europcar takes delivery of 95 Luton vans in ‘spacious’ livery

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Europcar Iveco Luton vans at Heathrow

Two of Europcar’s new Iveco Luton vans at the firm’s Heathrow Airport branch.

Europcar is taking delivery of 95 new 3.5 tonne Iveco Daily Luton vans in 2014, with the first 20 vehicles already in service, in the rental giant’s bold new liveries.

The vans’ liveries feature bulky objects such as bath tubs and, er, UFOs, and are designed to highlight how much you can fit inside a luton van — despite the fact they can be driven by anyone with a standard car licence (excluding automatic licence holders).

The new vans will be available from Europcar locations across the UK, and are expected to be particularly popular in town and city centre locations, where demand is high for vehicles to assist with moving home and DIY projects.

Ken McCall, Managing Director, Europcar UK Group explains:

“The Dailys are a really important addition to our fleet. They offer a great payload capacity, plus the combination of the Luton body and tail-lift makes light work of moving even big loads for our customers.

“The majority of the demand for this type of vehicle comes from urban areas, so the Daily’s tight turning circle also really comes into its own.”

 The technical stuff

Each Daily 35C13 chassis cab benefits from a 3,750mm long wheelbase and features bodywork by Alloy Bodies, Iveco’s Daily DriveAway Options partner. This enables Europcar to benefit from a comprehensive three year unlimited mileage warranty covering both the chassis and body.

The Daily 35C13 is powered by a 2.3 litre FPT Industrial diesel engine which is capable of producing up to 126 hp between 3,200 and 3,900 rev/min, and up to 320 Nm of torque between 1,800 and 2,750 rev/min. The vehicle benefits from Stop & Start functionality, together with a Gear Shift Indicator, enabling the driver to better manage his/her way of driving. Together with the latest lightweight 6-speed transmission, these functions reduce fuel consumption, and consequently CO2 emissions, by up to 10 per cent compared with the models they replace.

Supplied via Iveco dealer Guest Truck & Van, the new vehicles will remain in Europcar’s core fleet for up to three years and will be available for both short and long-term hire.

Iveco reintroduced its Daily DriveAway Options range at the beginning of 2012, following increasing demand from customers for a ready-bodied vehicle range which already conformed with Whole Vehicle Type Approval.

Used van prices fall in April as supply improves

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Average used van prices fell by 2.9% in April — the first time prices have fallen since September last year, according to new figures from remarketing specialists BCA.

However, residual values for vans remain strong, and BCA’s April average sale price of £5,395 was the second-highest on record since 2005.

BCA used van prices Mar 2012 Apr 14

BCA used van prices, March 2012 April 2014 (graph courtesy of BCA)

To keep the month-by-month changes in context, it’s worth remembering that April’s average used van price was 7.9% higher than one year ago, while average age was unchanged at 58 months, and average mileage was up by around 3,000 miles:

All vans Avg Age (mnths) Avg Mileage Avg Value Sale vs CAP
Apr 2013 58.78 76,999 £4,998 101.38%
Apr 2014 58.52 80,187 £5,395 100.90%

(Data courtesy of BCA – www.bca-europe.com)

Return of normality?

In my view, this year’s strong growth in new van registrations could finally trigger a return to normality in the used market, albeit over a period of 6-9 months.

As I suggested in April, it’s rarely possible to call the top or the bottom of a market, but a good sign that things might be about to change is when people starting describing an exceptional situation as ‘normal’…

Discussing these results, Duncan Ward, BCA’s General Manager – Commercial Vehicles, said:

“The market slowed over the extended Easter and May Bank Holiday period and sale conversion rates have fallen back.  Volumes have risen quite noticeably, meaning there is more choice for buyers and this has impacted on average values.”

“There are signs that sellers are being more pragmatic about values, as performance against CAP declined noticeably compared to March. Dealer part-exchange vehicles saw performance fall around four points down to 102.0%, with corporate vehicles falling by two points to 100.5%.”

It’s too early to say, but with average used prices up by 26% since April 2012, it would be unsurprising if they took a breather in the face of improved new van sales and, perhaps, more confident sentiment and a new willingness to take on financing.

As always, watch this space.

Ambulance team saddle up for 999-mile charity bike ride (plus vans!)

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Pedalling Paramedics

The Pedalling Paramedics, about to set off on a 999-mile charity mission visiting ambulance trusts around the UK.

A team of heroic paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) NHS Trust off today on a fund-raising 999-mile cycle marathon – with a little help from local Mercedes-Benz Dealer Orwell Truck & Van.

The eight, super-fit riders left EEAS headquarters in Cambourne, near Cambridge, bound for their first overnight stop at Sheffield, 130 miles away.

They aim to visit all 10 UK ambulance trusts over the next nine days, during which they will be supported by colleagues driving a pair of specially liveried, fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz vehicles donated by Orwell – one is a nine-seat Vito Traveliner minibus, the other a Long-bodied Sprinter van.

The self-styled Pedalling Paramedics have being training hard for their latest challenge, during which they will be raising awareness of, and cash for, the Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund. This helps serving and retired NHS ambulance personnel and their dependents, in times of exceptional hardship, poverty or need.

Among those taking part is Matt Broad, General Manager for Norfolk Paramedics, who says:

“We’re hugely grateful for the support of Orwell Truck & Van, without which the ride just wouldn’t be possible.

“These vehicles will be invaluable, not only for carrying spares, tools, medical supplies and other equipment, but also for ferrying us to and from social events at each of our destinations.”

The Pedalling Paramedics have already raised thousands of pounds for the Benevolent Fund, by completing rides from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 2012, and from Blackpool Tower to the Eiffel Tower last year.

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust covers Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Orwell Truck & Van, the German manufacturer’s official commercial vehicle representative for East Anglia, is a leading supplier to EEAS, and currently processing orders for more than 250 front-line ambulances based on 5.0-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis, as I highlighted in a recent article, “What type of van makes the best ambulance?“.

For photos from the ride, more information or to make a donation, visit the Pedalling Paramedics’ website.

Telecoms courier calls Mercedes for new Sprinters

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100+ Logistics Mercedes-Benz Sprinters

Two of 100+ Logistics new Mercedes-Benz Sprinters

Derby-based mobile phone industry supplier 100+ Logistics has celebrated its tenth anniversary in style, by investing in a new fleet of fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz Vans.

The firm had previously operated hired and leased Sprinters but decided to make the switch to outright ownership earlier this year.

For his first purchase, 100+ proprietor Barrie Tullett opted for six Sprinter 313 CDIs. Three are Long-bodied vans, the others were supplied as chassis cabs to which Alloy Bodies, of Manchester, fitted Luton boxes.

For added peace of mind, Mr Tullett also took out Mercedes-Benz Service Care contracts under which Mertrux will carry out all routine maintenance for a highly competitive, fixed fee.

Founded by Mr Tullett in April 2004, 100+ Logistics has grown steadily and now operates 20 vans, has a staff of 27 and an annual turnover in excess of £1 million. The company works exclusively for mobile telecoms engineering contractors, its vehicles making nationwide deliveries of equipment ranging from amplifiers and antennae, to cabling and cabinets, to sites where transmission stations are being installed or upgraded.

Mr Tullett says:

“Of course, other vans have their strengths but none can match a Sprinter as an overall package. Our vans cover anything from 60,000 to 80,000 miles per year, and we have to be on site early in the morning so the engineers can start work, even if it’s as far away as Inverness or St Austell.

“This means reliability is paramount and in this respect experience has proved the Mercedes-Benz to be the best vehicle on the market – we’ve been running rented Sprinters since day one. What’s more, it offers excellent performance, is comfortable, driver-friendly and loaded with standard safety systems, and conveys a smart, professional image.”

Since taking delivery of his new vans Mr Tullett has returned to Mertrux with an order for seven more: five will be Sprinters – three Lutons, a panel van and a dropsider – while the other two will be from the Citan range launched last year. The Citan is the smallest van yet to wear the three-pointed star of Mercedes-Benz and 100+ Logistics will take advantage of its outstanding fuel economy – official tests have returned up to 65.7 mpg – on deliveries of smaller consignments.

Van registrations edge lower in April as demand slips for small vans

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Van registrations fell by 0.6% in April, taking the total rise for the year to date to 12.2%, down from 16% in March, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Truck registrations continued to fall, following the introduction of Euro 6 regulations, and sales were down by almost 25% on April 2013, at just 2,718 units.

As a result, overall CV sales fell by 4.2% in April, compared to the same period last year, although they remain up by 7.3% on the year to date, thanks to the early surge in new van registrations:

UK van and truck registrations: 2014 and % change on 2013

April % change Year-to-date % change Rolling year % change
Vans 20,620 -0.6% 100,537 12.2% 281,977 11.4%
Trucks 2,718 -24.9% 10,292 -24.8% 52,831 22.3%
Total 23,338 -4.2% 110,829 7.3% 334,808 13.0%

Data courtesy of SMMT (www.smmt.co.uk)

Interestingly, Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s chief executive, suggested that van demand may have plateaued for this year (at least, that’s my interpretation of his comments, based on this month’s 12.2% YTD growth figure):

“Ongoing robust demand for vans continued the year-to-date trend in line with SMMT’s revised van forecast for 2014, a forecast that should see the market grow more than 11% on 2013.”

Small vans drag on sales

The decline in van registrations was not evenly split across the different weight classes. The big mover was the sub-2.0t van category, where new registrations fell by 13.8% in April, compared to the previous year. A 2.5% decline in sales of 2.0t-2.5t also dragged on the total, and the 0.5% rise in registrations of vans between 2.5t and 3.5t was not enough to offset these losses.

Still, let’s look on the bright side — sales in individual categories can be skewed from month-to-month by big orders, a nd sales of commercial vehicles in all categories — including trucks — are now significantly higher than they were three years ago, as this graph shows:

UK CV registrations Jan 2010 to date

UK CV registrations Jan 2010 to date (courtesy of SMMT)

Vanrental.co.uk launches new website design

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vanrental.co.uk logoRegular visitors to vanrental.co.uk may have noticed that on Thursday last week we rolled out a brand-new design for the vanrental.co.uk website.

We think it’s cleaner, simpler to use and fresher than the old design, and hope that it will make it easier for visitors to focus on what they want to find — usually van hire price comparison or perhaps European van hire or minibus/MPV hire — while removing some of the clutter and distraction that had built up on the old site design, which had been in use for a number of years.

We’ve tested the new website design fairly thoroughly, and are pretty sure that we’ve ironed out most of the bugs, but if you’ve got any comments or have spotted any problems, then please drop us a line at info@vanrental.co.uk or through our Twitter or Facebook pages.

We’re here to help.

 

In pictures: van highlights from the CV Show 2014

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The UK’s biggest annual road freight event, the CV Show, has taken place this week at the Birmingham NEC. If you didn’t make it along, here are a few of the van highlights from the show — including all the major new models due to hit our roads this summer.

Several of the major European van manufacturers chose to unveil new models at the show:

The new Citroen Relay at the CV Show

Citroen Relay inside cab

The new Citroen Relay is a clear evolution of the previous model, and will as before, also be sold as the Peugeot Boxer (with the same 2.3HDi engine as the Relay) and as the Fiat Ducato (with a different range of engines). I have to say the cab of the new Relay looks good, in my view a little better than that of the new Fiat Ducato:

Fiat Ducato Sportivo inside cab

Fiat unveiled the new Ducato in Sportivo specification, which is a new trim level for this year and adds alloy wheels, side stripes on top of the firm’s Tecnico specification, which includes air con, Blue&Me BlueTooth/TomTom sat nav doc, front fog lights and parking sensors, amongst others:

Fiat Ducato Sportivo

Fiat also had several Doblo models on show, including the Doblo Cargo XL, in Royal Mail trim, and a Work Up pick-up model, courtesy of Balfour Beatty. The Work Up seems a useful idea, and has been around for a while now, but doesn’t really seem to be very popular with buyers, judging from how few I’ve seen:

Royal Mail Fiat Doblo XL

Balfour Beatty Fiat Doblo Work Up

Moving on, one of the undisputed highlights of the show was the all-new Ford Transit. This full-size large van will take the fight directly to the sector heavyweights, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Iveco Daily, as well as (I suspect) outclassing the Ducato et al. Can’t wait to see more when they hit UK roads this summer:

New Ford Transit at CV Show

Ford has apparently already received 10,000 orders for the new Transit, which went on sale in December, and the van seems likely to repeat the launch-year success of the Transit Custom, which was displayed in several tempting guises at the show:

Ford Transit Custom at CV Show

In a move that suggests Ford believes the Transit Custom has serious potential in the leisure market, the firm also had a campervan conversion on its official stand. I’m not sure if this is the Wellhouse Leisure Terrier conversion, but I suspect it is:

Ford Transit Custom campervan

Ford Transit Customer campervan interior

If buyers can get over the badge on the bonnet, then this classy and well thought out conversion should certainly give the VW establishment a run for its money. It will take some doing, though, and I’m not sure I would bet on it — the VW badge is almost like a religion in the campervan world — and I speak as the owner of a Transit campervan conversion!

Moving on from the blue oval, there were several other tasty treats on display, too.

Nissan seems to be on the cusp of delivering an electric van that can break into the mainstream market. The firm opened the show by announcing that it had received a 100-van order from British Gas for its e-NV200, and this van’s extensive test program has meant that large fleet operators have been able to prove the operational and economic viability of electric vans, in a way that they perhaps haven’t been able to before.

I predict big things for electric vans, and the e-NV200 in particular:

Nissan e-NV200 electric van at CV Show

Nissan’s European partner, Renault, had a big presence at the show, including an outdoor stand featuring a wide range of automotive exotica.

In the background you can see some kind of open-wheeled contraption with wings (I think some German bloke drives it at weekends) but I was more interested in this beauty — it’s an Espace, Jim, but not as we know it:

Renault Espace CV Show 2014

More seriously, it was an important show for Renault, as it marked the launch of no fewer than two new van models, the all-new Trafic, and the heavily-revised Master:

Renault Trafic at CV Show

The Trafic looks good, an the sophisticated appearance (in my opinion!) continues inside, too:

Renault Trafic cab interior

The new Master was also display. As with the outgoing Master, this van will also be sold by Nissan, badged as the NV400, and for the first time will be available in an extra-long wheelbase, high roof model with single rear wheels that’s aimed squarely at the courier/light haulage market (not the van in this picture, which shows a crew van model):

Renault Master at CV Show

Echoing Renault was Vauxhall, which rolled out the new Vivaro. Naturally it’s very similar to the Trafic, as it’s basically the same van, but in my view Renault’s interior is much more appealing than Vauxhall’s take:

Vauxhall Vivaro at CV Show 2014

Vauxhall Vivaro cab interior

Finally, I’ve included a bit of 4×4 exotica for those of you who like a bit of the muddy stuff. Isuzu was out in force with its D-Max pick-up and range of light trucks, but I thought that these two were a little more interesting.

Isuzu D-Max Fire & Rescue conversion

Isuzu can supply a number of conversions, such as this D-Max in Fire & Rescue guise.

The D-Max also has a head for heights, and makes an admirable off-road capable cherry picker:

Isuzu D-Max cherry picker

On which note, I will wrap this up — have a great bank holiday weekend!

Vauxhall introduces jumbo-sized Combo

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Vauxhall Combo L2H2 - long and high

The Vauxhall Combo L2H2 – it’s long and high and if Fiat hadn’t done so already with the Doblo, it might be called the Combo XL!

Few vehicles define everyday practicality better than the Vauxhall Combo, and the Luton-based firm has now added to the versatility of this popular model by introducing the L2H2 panel van, which provides a maximum load height of over five feet.

The Combo L2H2 (catchy name) made its show debut at the CV Show in Birmingham this week. It’s a high-roof, long-wheelbase version of Vauxhall’s popular Combo van, which Vauxhall says has been designed to meet increasing demand for this type of commercial vehicle (demand that must hitherto have been satisfied by the Fiat Doblo XL, the Combo’s twin sister).

Offering an extra 245mm of additional height over the H1 specification, the L2H2 is available with a choice of two 1.6-litre diesel engines with 90PS or 105PS. Both engines come with Start/Stop technology as standard.

The extra length and height now gives the Combo an impressive cargo capacity of 5.0m3, combining an overall height of 2125mm and an overall length of 4740mm making it even more spacious than before, while the L2H2 still boasts the same one tonne class-leading payload as its shorter H1 siblings.

The L2H2 has been carefully designed with the end user in-mind; with a width of 1230mm between each wheel arch it is capable of carrying a Europallet with ease:

Vauxhall Combo L2H2 loadspace

This is what five cubic metres of loadspace looks like inside a Vauxhall Combo

“The inclusion of this new high roof long wheelbase version to the Combo range demonstrates our commitment to satisfy customer demand,” said Steve Bryant, Brand Manager, Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles.

“Today’s market means that customers are increasingly demanding a wide variety of commercial vehicles to choose from and we are confident there is now a Combo for every application.”

British Gas orders 100 Nissan e-NV200 electric vans following winter trial

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Nissan e-NV200 British Gas trial van

One of the Nissan e-NV200 electric vans trialled by British Gas over the last winter.

It’s all going to plan for Nissan: the e-NV 200 electric van has come through a series of well-publicised long-term operational trials with flying colours and has now received a 100-van order from trial partner British Gas, ahead of the e-NV200’s official launch in June.

The order was announced at the start of the CV Show in Birmingham today, and is part of British Gas’ wider commitment to electrify 10% of its 13,000-strong fleet by 2017. British Gas will receive 50 vans as soon as possible and a further 50 by the end of 2014.

As I have been saying for many years, the logical opportunity for mainstream adoption of electric vans isn’t the private car market, where usage is often inconsistent and unpredictable, it’s the van market — many vans operate on fixed routes and schedules which make range anxiety and charging requirements irrelevant.

British Gas’ winter trial of the e-NV200 was the UK’s largest electric van evaluation to date, and saw 28 e-NV200s cover in excess of 60,000 miles between them, to verify how the vans performed in winter conditions, during typical British Gas home services daily usage patterns. Proof of the trial’s success was that some drivers were reluctant to hand back their vans.

Colin Marriott, general manager, fleet at British Gas said:

“We have been extremely impressed with the performance of the Nissan e-NV200 during our winter trial. The feedback from our engineers speaks for itself, with the majority saying they would be happy to keep the van permanently.

“Taking on 100 of these vehicles on a permanent basis demonstrates our continued commitment to leading the adoption of this technology amongst large vehicle fleets in the UK.  With technology and infrastructure improving all the time, we look forward to expanding this number in the coming years.”

The e-NV200 will be available to purchase from June 2014.