The engineering behind a typical light commercial van is far more complicated that most give credit. This view is supported by a recent post by the Truck & Van Blog which provides an amazing insight into the design thoughts behind the nation's favourite van, the Ford Transit.
According to the Truck & Van Blog, the average light commercial van can expect to hit 109 engine starts in a day! That means a Ford Transit covering 240,000km will have to start 222,200 times in an average lifetime. In comparison, a high use car only starts on average 19 times a day. The cars in the Vansdirect staff car park - twice!
The average van driver will also demand more from the gearbox of a Ford Transit than of his Ford Mondeo. The average Ford Transit will see 4.9 million gear shifts during that same 240,000km lifespan. That's double the number of gear changes that the average Ford Mondeo will experience!
The blog continues....... The Ford Transit is tested 3,200 times against angled strikes of a curb - to ensure that your Transit is capable of parking on curb as often as you need to. In comparison, a car will undergo this test 24 times!
It's safe to say that a light commercial vehicle is therefore a feat of engineering. It's also easy to see once again, why the Ford Transit is the nation's favourite van.
