Van Ninja stock a wide range of vans, from the smallest Ford Fiesta van to heavy duty 3.5 ton workhorses like the Peugeot Boxer. Each van has its uses, its speciality, whether that is mileage, vehicle handling, technology, luxury features, or any of a dozen other factors.
We have found that many of our customers are most interested in the carrying capacity of our van leases. Depending on their business, this could mean either payload weight or load volume.
When our customers look to lease a large van, capacity is the primary concern. To that end, we’ve put together a comparison of some of our largest vans and what their unique strengths are.
Size and Weight are Relative
One thing to remember when choosing a large van is that the size and weight are linked. The van, including driver, passengers, fuel and payload, has to weight less than 3.5 tons to be driveable by someone with a standard Category B license. As all large van leases at Van Ninja have this limit, then increasing the size of the van will reduce the carrying capacity. This is due to some of the payload weight being used up by the extra metal in the bodywork.
For this reason, the long wheelbase versions of the Ford Transit 350 and the Mercedes Sprinter are ideal for moving large volume as opposed to heavier items.
Payload Weight
When your business requires to transport heavy payloads, such as building materials, house clearances, and so on, the most important factor is the payload weight. Not all large van leases have the same carry weight, due to technical specifications and other add-ons that may take away from the payload.
So which vans perform the best in this category?
Without a doubt, the Peugeot Boxer is the first vehicle to consider if you need a van that can handle a heavy payload. At 1495kg of carrying capacity, no other large van lease from Van Ninja can compete.
The carrying capacity is made possible by cutting down on some of the features found in the higher spec vans from manufacturers like Volkswagen and Mercedes. The Boxer has a powerful engine and still has all the standard driver assist features you would expect in a modern van.
The loading area is 3.7m long and the load volume is 13.3m3, which is fairly standard for this type of van.
Ford, of course, have numerous variants, and the Transit 350 L3H2 is roughly comparable to the Boxer. It carries a little less, at 1419kg, and the load area is a little shorter at 3.5m.
The Transit does make up for this by having more features and Ford’s acclaimed handling, though it costs a little more than the Boxer.
Depending on your priorities, you may feel that the slight loss in carrying capacity is made up for by Ford’s other features.
The Vauxhall Movano matches the Peugeot Boxer for load volume while only being slightly lower in payload weight. At 1431kg, it can still carry a large load. It’s more expensive that the Boxer, but it does have some additional features and a few more driver comfort features to justify the extra spend.
Payload Volume
When it comes to load volume, and sheer size of the van, there are two good options available on the Van Ninja website.
The Mercedes Benz Sprinter might only have a payload weight capacity of 1084kg, but it’s load length of 4.4m is unparalleled. This gives the van’s load area a volume of 15.7m3, making it perfect for couriers and home delivery, or for tradesmen that need a lot of space such as flooring distributors and plumbing merchants.
Similarly, the longest Ford Transit 350 we have available sacrifices payload for load space. It can carry a little more than the Sprinter at 1176kg, while the load length of 4.2m is a little less.
The monthly payments on a Ford Transit lease are cheaper than the Mercedes Sprinter, but of course there are other factors such as technology and features that will contribute to that.
Other Options
If you are looking to lease a large van for a specific purpose, and know you will need maximum weight or load space, then one of the options above should meet your needs.
At Van Ninja, we can source any vehicle for lease, including the less common variants of these large vans. If you can’t find what you need, give us a call. We are confident that we can help you find the right van for your requirements.
