Van

A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people. It is usually a box-shaped vehicle on four wheels, about the same width and length as a large automobile, but taller and usually higher off the ground, also referred to as a light commercial vehicle or LCV. However, in North America, the term may be used to refer to any truck with a rigid cargo body fixed to the cab, even up to large sizes.

In the UK usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon/sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs (such as pick-up trucks). There are vans in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the classic van version of the tiny Mini to the five metre long (LWB) variants of the Mercedes Sprinter van. Vehicles larger than this are classified as lorries (trucks).

Word usage and etymology

The word van is a shortened version of the word caravan, which originally meant a covered vehicle.

The word van has slightly different, but overlapping, meanings in different forms of English. While the word always applies to boxy cargo vans, the most major differences in usage are found between the different English-speaking countries.

United Kingdom

British English speakers will generally refer to a passenger minivan as a people-carrier or MPV, or multi-purpose vehicle, and a larger passenger van as a minibus. Ford makes a distinct line of vans with short bonnets (hoods) and varying body sizes. Minivans are the same Vans but smaller. The driver's mate of a delivery van was sometimes referred to as a "vanguard."

United States

In the United States, a van can also refer to a box-shaped trailer or semi-trailer used to carry goods. In this case there is a differentiation between a "dry van", used to carry most goods, and a refrigerated van, or reefer, used for cold goods. A railway car used to carry baggage is also called a van.

A vehicle referred to as a full size van is usually a large, boxy vehicle that has a platform and powertrain similar to their light truck counterparts. These vans may be sold with the space behind the front seats empty for transporting of goods (cargo van), or furnished for passenger use by either the manufacturer (Wagon) or another company for more personal comforts, such as entertainment systems (Conversion van). Full size vans often have a very short hood, with the engine block moved to within the passenger cabin.

A cutaway van chassis is a variation of the full size van which was developed for use by many second stage manufacturers. Such a unit generally has a van front end, and driver controls in a cab body which extends only to a point aft of the driver and passenger seats, where the rest of the van body is cutoff (leading to the terminology "cutaway"). From that point aft, usually only the chassis frame rails and running gear extend to the rear when the unit is shipped as an "incomplete vehicle". A second stage manufacturer, commonly known as a bodybuilder, will complete the vehicle for uses such as recreational vehicles, small school buses, minibuses, type III ambulances, and delivery trucks. A large portion of cutaway van chassis are equipped with dual rear wheels. Some second stage manufacturers also add a third weight-bearing single wheel "tag axle" for larger minibus models.

The term van may also refer to a Minivan. However, minivans are usually distinguished by their smaller size and traditionally front wheel drive powertrain, although many now are being equipped with four wheel drive. Minivans offer similar seating capacity (traditionally seven to eight passengers), and better fuel economy than full-size vans, at the expense of power, cargo space, and towing capacity. In addition, many new minivans have dual side sliding doors.

Japan

Early Japanese vans include the Mazda Bongo and the Subaru 360 van. The Japanese also produced many vans based on the American flat nose model, but also mini-vans which for the American market have generally evolved to the long-wheelbase front wheel drive form factor first pioneered by the Nissan Prairie and Mitsubishi Chariot. Microvans, vans that fulfill kei car regulations, are very popular for small business.

Australia

In Australian English, the term van is commonly used to describe a minivan, a passenger minibus, or an Australian panel van as manufactured by companies such as Holden and Ford at various times.

A full size van used for commercial purposes is also known as a van; however, a passenger vehicle with more than 7 or 8 seats is more likely to be called a minibus.

Finally, the term van can sometimes be used interchangeably with caravan, which in the U.S. is referred to as a travel trailer.

The British term people mover is also used in Australian English to describe a passenger van. The American usage of van to mean a cargo box trailer or semi-trailer is used rarely, if ever, in Australia.

Examples

The first generation of American vans were the 1960s compact vans, which were patterned in size after the Volkswagen Bus. The Corvair-based entry even aped the rear-mounted, air-cooled engine design. The Ford Falcon had a flat nose, with the engine mounted between and behind the front seats. The Dodge A100 had a similar layout and could accommodate a V-8. Chevrolet also switched to this layout. The Ford, Dodge and Corvair vans were also produced as pickup trucks.

The standard or full size vans appeared with Ford's innovation of moving the engine forward under a short hood and using pickup truck components and taillights. The engine cockpit housing is often called a dog house. Over time, they evolved longer noses and sleeker shapes. The Dodge Sportsman added a plug to the rear of a long wheelbase to create the 15 passenger van. They have been sold as both cargo and passenger models to the general public and as cutaway van chassis versions for second stage manufacturers to make box vans, ambulances, campers and other vehicles. Second stage manufacturers also modify the original manufacturer's body to create custom vans for the general public.

In the 1970s, songs like "Chevy Van", written and performed by Sammy Johns, and nicknames like "sin bin" or "screw canoe" became part of the culture as owners transformed them into rolling bedrooms and lounges. Conversion vans became a large market with plusher accommodations than factory seats.

Dodge ended production of their full-size vans in June 2002 (as 2003 models), and replaced it with the German originated Dodge Sprinter, which is based on a narrower, more fuel-efficient European design pattern with a 150 hp diesel turbo I5. Typical versions of the Sprinter are taller than other unmodified vans (tall enough to stand in), with a more slanted (aerodynamic) profile in front. They have been adopted primarily for delivery and lightweight Class-C van cab motor home applications.

Usage

In urban areas of the United States full-size vans have been used as commuter vans since 1971, when Dodge introduced a van that could transport up to 15 passengers. Commuter vans are used as an alternative to carpooling and other ride sharing arrangements.

Many mobile businesses use a van to carry almost their entire business to various places where they work. For instance, there are those who come to homes or places of business to perform services or to install or repair appliances.

Vans are also used to shuttle people and their luggage between hotels and airports, to transport commuters between parking lots and their places of work, and along established routes as minibuses.

Vans are also used to transport elderly and mobility-impaired worshipers to and from church services or to transport youth groups for outings to amusement parks, picnics, and visiting other churches.

Vans are also used by schools to drive sports teams to intermural games.

Step Van

Another type of van, peculiar to North America, is the step van, so called because of the ease with which one can step in and out of it. Widely used by delivery services, courier companies and the parcel division of the US Postal Service and Canada Post, they are often seen driven with the door open, especially in big cities. Step vans have more obviously boxy shapes and higher rooftops than other vans, and they are rarely employed for carrying passengers.

Rollover safety

Recently, the larger passenger versions have appeared in news stories for having a tendency to roll over, particularly in the case of inexperienced operators. The van body is taller than the cab and bed of the pickup that uses the same style frame and powertrain resulting in the basic van having a higher center of gravity than a similarly loaded pickup from which it is derived. The suspension is also higher because of the extreme weight capacity of 15 passengers of between 150 lb (68 kg) and 200 lb (91 kg) each which may be over one ton of passengers alone. The seats in the passenger version raise the load, passengers, above the floor, further raising the center of gravity (and often shifting it rearward). The bench seats allow passengers to slide if safety belts are not used. In the United States it is common for only the front seat passengers to use their safety belts, perhaps because belted passengers feel they can still lean and shift a large amount. However, the NHTSA, cited below, has determined that belted passengers are about four times more likely to survive in rollover crashes.

Safety can be greatly improved by understanding the unique characteristics of 12- & 15-passenger vans and by following a special set of guidelines developed for drivers, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A summary of this information is available at [http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/studies/15PassVans/index.htm Reducing The Risk of Rollover Crashes in 15-Passenger Vans.]Among other things, this document advises that carrying 10 or fewer passengers (preferably towards the front of the van) greatly reduces the risk of rollover crashes, and it suggests that repeated operation by the same drivers tends to increase their ability to handle these vehicles more safely over time. Car rental companies have also started adding stickers to warn renters about the difference in handling while compared to standard cars. Items should not be added to a roof rack of an already top-heavy vehicle.

Models of vans by manufacturer

Austin Austin Mini
Austin A35
Austin A55

Asia Asia Topic
Asia Towner

BMC Commercial Vehicles

Buick Buick Terraza

'Chery Automobile' V5 (codename B14) minivan
Karry a small panel van.

Chevrolet Chevrolet Astro
Chevrolet Beauville
Chevrolet Corvair 95 Greenbriar
Chevrolet Express
Chevrolet G10/G20/G30
Chevrolet Lumina APV
Chevrolet Nomad
Chevrolet Supercarry
Chevrolet Uplander
Chevrolet Venture

Chrysler Chrysler Town & Country
Chrysler Voyager

Citroën Citroën H Van
Citroën 2CV
Citroën Berlingo
Citroën C15
Citroën Jumpy
Citroën Jumper / Relay

Commer

Dacia Dacia Logan VAN

Daewoo Daewoo Damas
Daewoo Rezzo/Tacuma

Daihatsu Daihatsu Atrai
Daihatsu Hijet

Dodge Dodge A100
Dodge B Series B100, B150, B200, B250, B350
Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
Dodge Coachman
Dodge MB Series MB-250, MB-350
Dodge Ram Van
Dodge Ram Wagon
Dodge Sportsman
Dodge Sprinter
Dodge Tradesman

Fiat Fiat 238
Fiat Doblò
Fiat Ducato
Fiat Fiorino
Fiat Scudo

Ford Ford Model T
Ford Aerostar
Ford Econoline
Ford E100 (Falcon) 1961-1967
Ford Freestar
Ford Club Wagon
Ford Transit, FK 1000
Ford Transit Connect
Ford Windstar

Freight Rover Freight Rover Sherpa
Freight Rover 200 Series
Freight Rover 300 Series

Freightliner LLC Freightliner Sprinter

FSC Żuk A 03, A 05, A 14, A 09, A 11, A 15, A 07, A 18, R, M, A 151 C, A 16 B
Lublin van

FSO (ZSD) Nysa N57, N58, N59, N60, N61, N63, 501, 503, 521/522

GAZ GAZelle

GMC GMC Gaucho
GMC Gypsy
GMC Rally STX, Wagon
GMC Safari
GMC Savana
GMC Vandura 1500, 2500, 3500

Glas Goggomobil TL

Grumman Olson

UPS P-600 - chassis only
UPS P-800 - chassis only

Hanomag Hanomag L28
Hanomag Kurier
Hanomag-Henschel F20

Honda Honda Acty
Honda Elysion
Honda Life
Honda Mobilio
Honda Odyssey
Honda Stepwgn
Honda Vamos

Hyundai Hyundai Grace
Hyundai Lavita/Matrix
Hyundai Starex
Hyundai Trajet XG

Isuzu Isuzu Oasis
Isuzu Como
Isuzu Filly

Iveco Iveco Daily

Jowett Jowett Bradford

Kia Kia Bongo
Kia Carens/Rondo
Kia Carnival/Sedona
Kia Carstar/Joice
Kia Pregio

LDV LDV Pilot
LDV Convoy
LDV Cub
LDV Maxus

Leyland Leyland Sherpa

Lloyd Lloyd LT 400, 600

Mazda Mazda Bongo/Bongo Brawny
Mazda MPV

Mahindra- Xylo

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz L319
Mercedes-Benz Vaneo
Mercedes-Benz Vario
Mercedes-Benz Vito
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Mercedes-Benz V-Class

Mercury Mercury Villager

Mitsubishi Mitsubishi Minica
Mitsubishi Town Box
Mitsubishi L300

Morris Morris Minor
Morris J4

Nissan Nissan Caravan
Nissan Interstar
Nissan Kubistar
Nissan Primastar
Nissan Quest
Nissan S-Cargo
Nissan Silkroad
Nissan Vanette

Oldsmobile Oldsmobile Silhouette

Opel / Vauxhall Opel Blitz
Opel Combo
Opel Corsavan
Opel Astravan
Opel Movano
Opel Vivaro

Peugeot Peugeot J 7, J 9
Peugeot J 5
Peugeot Boxer
Peugeot Expert
Peugeot Partner

Plymouth Plymouth Voyager

Pontiac Pontiac Montana
Pontiac Trans Sport

Renault Renault Estafette
Renault 4 F4 and F6
Renault Kangoo
Renault Trafic
Renault Master

Rīgas Autobusu Fabrika RAF-251
RAF-08
RAF-10
RAF-2203
RAF-22031
RAF-3311
RAF-33111
RAF-977

Saturn Saturn Relay

SEAT SEAT Inca

SsangYong Istana
Rodius/Stavic

Subaru Subaru 360
Subaru Domingo
Subaru Sambar

Suzuki Suzuki Carry
Suzuki Supercarry
Suzuki Every
Autozam Scrum
Bedford Rascal
Holden Scurry
Maruti Versa

Tempo Tempo Rapid
Tempo Wiking
Tempo Matador

Toyota Toyota Dyna
Toyota Granvia
Toyota Hiace
Toyota Hiace Regius
Toyota Regius Ace
Toyota Liteace
Toyota Noah/Voxy
Toyota Master Ace Surf Wagon / Van
Toyota Previa
Toyota Probox
Toyota Quick Delivery / Urban Supporter
Toyota Sienna
Toyota Succeed
Toyota TownAce

Vauxhall and Bedford Bedford Beagle
Bedford CA
Bedford CF
Bedford Chevanne
Vauxhall Combo see Opel
Vauxhall Corsavan
Vauxhall Astravan
Vauxhall Rascal
Vauxhall Vivaro
Vauxhall Movano

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Volkswagen Caddy
(T4) Transporter / Kombi / Caravelle / Eurovan / Mutlivan
(T5) Transporter / Eurovan / Kombi / Caravelle / Mutlivan
Volkswagen California
Volkswagen LT
Volkswagen Crafter
Volkswagen Type 2 ("VW Bus")

Alternative propulsion

Since light trucks are often operated in city traffic, hybrid electric models are very useful: [http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom/0,,0-5-7165-1-456546-1-0-0-0-0-0-243-7165-0-0-0-0-0-0-0,00.html Dual-Drive Sprinter - Mercedes Van equipped with hybrid drive systems]
[http://www.micro-vett.it/english/isuzuing2.html Electric 35-50 q]
[http://www.micro-vett.it/english/bimodaleing.html Micro-Vett Hybrid Daily]

Wheelchair accessible

Some vans can be converted into wheelchair accessible vans for mobility impaired people: [http://www.wheelchairvan.info Wheelchair Van Information]

The following vehicles may be used in yards or in historic city centres: [http://www.graf-carello.com/www/de/fahrzeuge/transporter.php Graf Carello Transporter]
[http://www.elektrocar.it/showcase/scheda.php?marca=AIXAM-MEGA&modello=MEGA Aixam Mega]
[http://www.alke.com Alke' ATX]
[http://www.elektrocar.it/showcase/scheda.php?marca=Tasso&modello=Domino Tasso Domino]

Translation

The word "Van" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Indonesian, Polish, Portuguese, Simple English.

Translation(s) in other languages: Arabic: عربة نقل, Czech: Dodávkový automobil, Danish: Varevogn, German: Kleintransporter, Spanish: Furgoneta, Persian: وانت, French: Camionnette, Irish: Veain, Italian: Furgone, Dutch: Camionette, Japanese: ライトバン, Romanian: Autoutilitară, Russian: Фургон, Finnish: Pakettiauto, Swedish: Skåpbil, Turkish: Panelvan, Chinese: 廂型車.