Van News Roundup

Here are some Van and Commercial Vehicle related stories from around the internet this week:

30 Van's I'd Be Tempted to Get Into

30 Vans with crazy paint jobs including the Scooby Doo themed one below.


Mobil 1 Announces Britain's Best and Worst Roads.

"“The Mobil 1 Mission was a grueling test, travelling a long distance across a variety of terrain. But there were some real adrenaline-fuelled highlights. I experienced some phenomenal drives through scenery I didn’t even realise we had in this country.”"

Tyre safety campaign receives Highways Agency backing

"Organised by TyreSafe, tyre safety month will educate drivers about the importance and simplicity of checking tyre tread depth. With the Highways Agency’s endorsement, campaign materials will be distributed across the UK"

Van News Round Up

Right I've been away for a few days so here is a quick catch up with what has been going on in the world of vans and commercial vehicles...


Tata Motors Registeres 41% Growth In July 2010

India's largest commercial vehicle maker, Tata Motors registered a growth of 41% selling 67,799 vehicles in July 2010

Gentex strikes SmartBeam deal with Volkswagen

Gentex Corporation has announced that its SmartBeam high-beam assist system is now available on nine Volkswagen models...

Mercedes-Benz Vario undergoes a facelift

The Mercedes-Benz Vario is undergoing a facelift and is set to receive a new drivetrain...

Commercial Vans Likely to Dominate Electric Vehicle Market

So far electric vehicles have made little impact on the commercial market. Excluding the humble milk float few commercial vehicle fleets feature electric vans or cars. A new report by Frost & Sullivan predicts that the commercial sector will account for "70 per cent of the electric vehicle market in the EU and North America by 2015".



The limitations of the current crop of electric vehicles have so far prevented them from being widely used in the commercial sector. so far they are less reliable and harder to run than the traditional vans for sale. Improvements are expected as the technology advances over the coming years and this is likely to have a big effect on popularity. With this in mind Frost & Sullivan see the commercial sector leading the way and accounting for well over half of all new electric vehicle sales.

Proposed tax breaks for electric vans may make those operating traditional vans consider investing in new fleets. Buses are also prime candidates to be replaced: their repetitive routes mean that charging could be less of an issue. Bus routes tend to begin and end at the bus station which means that they can be charged on a day-to-day bases unlike long haul trucks and lorries.