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A van is a type of road
vehicle A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), wa ...
used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a
pickup truck A pickup truck or pickup is a light-duty truck that has an enclosed cabin, and a back end made up of a cargo bed that is enclosed by three low walls with no roof (this cargo bed back end sometimes consists of a tailgate and removable covering) ...
and
SUV A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive. There is no commonly agreed-upon definitio ...
, and bigger than a common
car A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as ...
. There is some varying in the scope of the word across the different English-speaking countries. The smallest vans,
microvan A microvan is a van or minivan which is within the Japanese kei car classification or similar, and is smaller than a mini MPV. In China, these vehicles are nicknamed ''mian bao che'' ("bread-loaf vehicle") because of their shape.
s, are used for transporting either goods or people in tiny quantities.
Mini MPV Mini MPV— an abbreviation for mini multi-purpose vehicle— is a vehicle size class for the smallest size of minivans/MPVs. The mini MPV size class sits below the compact MPV size class and the vehicles are often built on the platforms of B-se ...
s,
compact MPV Compact MPV (an abbreviation for Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle) is a vehicle size class for the middle size of MPVs. The Compact MPV size class sits between the mini MPV and large MPV (minivan) size classes. Compact MPVs remain predominantly a ...
s, and MPVs are all small vans usually used for transporting people in small quantities. Larger vans with passenger seats are used for institutional purposes, such as transporting students. Larger vans with only front seats are often used for business purposes, to carry goods and equipment. Specially-equipped vans are used by television stations as mobile studios. Postal services and courier companies use large step vans to deliver packages.


Word origin and usage

Van meaning a type of vehicle arose as a contraction of the word
caravan Caravan or caravans may refer to: Transport and travel *Caravan (travellers), a group of travellers journeying together **Caravanserai, a place where a caravan could stop *Camel train, a convoy using camels as pack animals *Convoy, a group of veh ...
. The earliest records of a van as a vehicle in English are in the mid 19th century meaning a covered wagon for transporting goods; the earliest reported record of such was in 1829. Caravan with the same meaning has records since the 1670s. A caravan, meaning one wagon, had arisen as an extension or corruption of caravan meaning a convoy of multiple wagons. The word ''van'' has slightly different, but overlapping, meanings in different forms of English. While the word now applies everywhere to boxy cargo vans, other applications are found to a greater or lesser extent in the different English-speaking countries; some examples follow:


Australia

In
Australian English Australian English (AusE, AusEng, AuE, AuEng, en-AU) is the set of varieties of the English language native to Australia. It is the country's common language and ''de facto'' national language; while Australia has no official language, Engli ...
, the term ''van'' is commonly used to describe a
minivan Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe i ...
, a passenger
minibus A minibus, microbus, minicoach, or commuter (in Zimbabwe) is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, th ...
, or an Australian
panel van A panel van, also known as a blind van, car-derived van (United Kingdom) or sedan delivery (United States), is a small cargo vehicle with a passenger car chassis, typically with a single front bench seat and no side windows behind the B-pillar. ...
as manufactured by companies such as
Holden Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. It was an Australian automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter which sold cars under its own marque in Australia. In its last thre ...
and
Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...
at various times. A
full-size van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...
used for commercial purposes is also known as a "van" in Australia; however, a passenger vehicle with more than seven or eight seats is more likely to be called a "minibus". The term ''van'' can also sometimes be used interchangeably with what Australians usually call a "caravan", which in the U.S. is referred to as a "
travel trailer A caravan, travel trailer, camper, tourer or camper trailer is a trailer towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent (although there are fold-down trailer tents). It provides the ...
". The British term ''people mover'' is also used in Australian English to describe a passenger van. The American usage of "van" that describes a cargo box trailer or semi-trailer is used rarely, if ever, in Australia.


India

In India, the van is one of the most common modes of transport and is often used for transporting school children to and from schools, usually when parents, especially working parents, are often too busy to pick their children up from school or when school buses are full and unable to accommodate other children. Vans are also extensively used for commercial purposes and office cabs. Some of the popular vans include Maruti Suzuki Omni and the Maruti Suzuki
Eeco The Maruti Suzuki Eeco is a microvan introduced in India by the Indian automaker Maruti Suzuki in early 2010. This car is a stripped down version of the discontinued Versa which itself was the Indian version of the 10th generation Suzuki Every (C ...
.


Japan

Early Japanese vans include the
Kurogane Baby The Kurogane Baby was a ''keitora'' and microvan built by the Japanese Kurogane company from April 1959 until January 1961, sold only in Japan. It was developed by a company of which Kurogane had assumed operations, called Ohta Jidosha, but was in ...
,
Mazda Bongo The , also known as Mazda E-Series and the Ford Econovan, is a cabover van and pickup truck manufactured by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Mazda since 1966. The Bongo name was also used for the Bongo Friendee, which is not a cabover desi ...
and the
Toyota LiteAce The Toyota LiteAce and TownAce are a line of light commercial and derivative passenger vans produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota. These vehicles originally utilized the cab-over-engine configuration, although since 1996 a semi-ca ...
. The Japanese also produced many vans based on the American flat nose model, but also minivans which for the American market have generally evolved to the long-wheelbase front-wheel drive form. The
Nissan Prairie The is an automobile manufactured and marketed by Nissan from 1981 to 2004. Considered a mini MPV or a compact MPV. It was also marketed as the Multi in Canada and the Stanza Wagon in the United States. In Japan, it was exclusive to '' Nissan Blue ...
and
Mitsubishi Chariot The Mitsubishi Chariot is an automobile manufactured and marketed by Mitsubishi from 1983 to 2003. It is a small multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Based on the SSW concept car first exhibited at the 23rd Tokyo Motor Show in 1979, the MPV derives its n ...
as well as
microvan A microvan is a van or minivan which is within the Japanese kei car classification or similar, and is smaller than a mini MPV. In China, these vehicles are nicknamed ''mian bao che'' ("bread-loaf vehicle") because of their shape.
s that fulfill
kei car Kei car (or , kanji: , "light automobile", ), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars with restricted dimensions and engine capacit ...
regulations, are popular for small business. The term is also used to describe full-fledged
station wagon A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
s (passenger car front sheet metal, flat-folding back seats, windows all around) and even hatchbacks with basic trim packages intended for commercial use. These are referred to as "light vans" ( ja, ライトバン), with "light" referring to the glazing rather than the weight of the vehicle.


United Kingdom

In
British English British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Lexico, Oxford Dictionaries, "English language, English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in ...
, the word van refers to vehicles that carry goods only, either on roads or on rails. What would be called a "
minivan Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe i ...
" in American English is called a "people-carrier", "MPV" or multi-purpose vehicle, and larger passenger vehicles are called "
minibus A minibus, microbus, minicoach, or commuter (in Zimbabwe) is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, th ...
es". The ''Telegraph'' newspaper introduced the idea of the "
White Van Man "White van man" is a stereotype used in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the Europe ...
", a typical
working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...
man or small business owner who would have a white
Ford Transit The Ford Transit is a family of light commercial vehicles manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1965, primarily as a cargo van, but also available in other configurations including a large passenger van (marketed as the Ford Tourneo in ...
,
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle ( van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, ...
, or similar panel van. Today the phrase "man and van" refers to light removal firms normally operated by a sole business owner transporting anything from the contents of a whole house to just a few boxes. The word "van" also refers to railway
covered goods wagons A covered goods wagon or van is a railway goods wagon which is designed for the transportation of moisture-susceptible goods and therefore fully enclosed by sides and a fixed roof. They are often referred to simply as covered wagons, and this is ...
, called "boxcars" in the United States.


United States

In the United States, a ''van'' can also refer to a box-shaped trailer or
semi-trailer A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. In the United States, the term is also used to refer to the combination of a truck and a semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer. A large proportion of a semi-trailer's weight is supported by a tracto ...
used to carry goods. In this case, there is a differentiation between a "dry van", used to carry most goods, and a
refrigerated The term refrigeration refers to the process of removing heat from an enclosed space or substance for the purpose of lowering the temperature.International Dictionary of Refrigeration, http://dictionary.iifiir.org/search.phpASHRAE Terminology, ht ...
van, or "reefer", used for cold goods. A railway
car A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as ...
used to carry baggage is also called a "van". A vehicle referred to in the US as a "
full-size van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...
" is usually a large, boxy vehicle that has a platform and powertrain similar to their
light truck Light truck or light-duty truck is a US classification for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight up to and a payload capacity up to 4,000 pounds (1,815 kg). Similar goods vehicle classes in the European Union, Canada, Australia, and New Zealan ...
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 (
conversion van A conversion van is a full-sized cargo van that is sent to third-party companies to be outfitted with various luxuries for road trips and camping. It can also mean a full-size passenger van in which the rear seating have been rearranged for taxi ...
). Full-size vans often have short hoods, with the engine placed under the passenger cabin. A
cutaway van chassis Cutaway van chassis are used by second stage manufacturers for a wide range of completed motor vehicles. Especially popular in the United States, they are usually based upon incomplete vans to be bigger or smaller than pickup trucks and SUVs mad ...
is a variation of the full-size van which was developed for use by
second stage manufacturer A second stage manufacturer, known in the industry as "bodybuilder," builds such products as bus and truck bodies, ambulances, motor homes, and other specialized vehicles. Neither their product, nor the first stage portion, called an ''incomple ...
s. Such a unit has a van front end and driver controls in a cab body which extends to a point aft of the front seats, where the rest of the van body is cutoff (leading to the terminology "cutaway"). From that point aft, 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 vehicle A recreational vehicle, often abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer that includes living quarters designed for accommodation. Types of RVs include motorhomes, campervans, coaches, caravans (also known as travel trailers and camper ...
s, small
school bus A school bus is any type of bus owned, leased, contracted to, or operated by a school or school district. It is regularly used to transport students to and from school or school-related activities, but not including a charter bus or transit bus ...
es, minibuses, type III
ambulance An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...
s, and delivery trucks. A large proportion of cutaway van chassis are equipped with dual rear wheels. Second stage manufacturers sometimes add third weight-bearing single wheel "tag axles" for their larger minibus models. The term ''van'' in the US may also refer to a minivan. Minivans are usually distinguished by their smaller size and
front wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional lon ...
powertrain, although some are equipped with
four wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...
. Minivans typically offer seven- or eight-passenger
seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...
, and better fuel economy than full-sized vans, at the expense of power, cargo space, and towing capacity. Minivans are often equipped with dual side sliding doors.


Examples

The precursor to American vans would be the sedan deliveries of the 1930s to late-1950s. The first generation of American vans were the 1960s
compact van A compact van is a type of van characterized by a flat front design, mechanicals based on a compact car, an engine placed either at the rear or between and behind the front seats, and similar in size to the VW Bus. Popular in the United States ...
s, which were patterned in size after the
Volkswagen Bus Volkswagen Bus or Volkswagen Van is a type of vehicle produced by Volkswagen/Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. There have been a number of notable versions of it produced. Volkswagen Bus light commercial vehicles Six generations of Volkswagen Transp ...
. The Corvair-based entry even imitated the rear-mounted, air-cooled engine design. The
Ford Falcon Ford Falcon is an automobile nameplate applied to several vehicles worldwide. * Ford Falcon (North America), an automobile produced by Ford from 1960 to 1970. * Ford Falcon (Argentina), a car built by Ford Argentina from 1962 until 1991. * Fo ...
-based first-generation Econoline had a flat nose, with the engine mounted between and behind the front seats. The
Dodge A100 The A100 is a range of compact vans and trucks manufactured and marketed from 1964 to 1970 by Chrysler Corporation under the Dodge marque in the United States and the Fargo marque in Canada. The A100 competed with the Ford Econoline and Chevr ...
had a similar layout and could accommodate a
V8 engine A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and us ...
. 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. The engine cockpit housing is often called a ''dog house''. Over time, they evolved longer noses and sleeker shapes. The Dodge Sportsman was available with an extension to the rear of its long-wheelbase model to create a 15-passenger van. Vehicles have been sold as both cargo and passenger models, as well as in
cutaway van chassis Cutaway van chassis are used by second stage manufacturers for a wide range of completed motor vehicles. Especially popular in the United States, they are usually based upon incomplete vans to be bigger or smaller than pickup trucks and SUVs mad ...
versions for
second stage manufacturer A second stage manufacturer, known in the industry as "bodybuilder," builds such products as bus and truck bodies, ambulances, motor homes, and other specialized vehicles. Neither their product, nor the first stage portion, called an ''incomple ...
s to make box vans, ambulances, campers, and other vehicles. Second stage manufacturers also modify the original manufacturer's body to create custom vans. Dodge ended production of their full-size vans during the 2003 model year and replaced it with the
Dodge Sprinter The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle ( van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, ...
, which is based on a more fuel-efficient European design pattern. Typical versions of the Sprinter are taller than other vans, with a more aerodynamic profile in front. They have been adopted primarily for delivery and lightweight Class-C van cab motor home applications.


Use

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
carpool Carpooling (also car-sharing, ride-sharing and lift-sharing) is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car, and prevents the need for others to have to drive to a location themselves. By having more people usi ...
ing and other ride-sharing arrangements. Many mobile businesses use a van to carry almost their entire business to various places where they work. For example, those who come to homes or places of business to perform various services, installations, or repairs. Vans are also used to shuttle people and their luggage between
hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
s and
airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...
s, to transport commuters between
parking Parking is the act of stopping and disengaging a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied. Parking on one or both sides of a road is often permitted, though sometimes with restrictions. Some buildings have parking facilities for use of the buildings' ...
lots and their places of work, and along established routes as minibusses. 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
intramural Intramural sports are recreational sports organized within a particular institution, usually an educational institution, or a set geographic region. The term, which is chiefly North American, derives from the Latin words ''intra muros'' meaning " ...
games. Vans have been used by touring music groups to haul equipment and people to music venues around the country.


Full-size van

''Full-size van'' is a
marketing Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...
term used in North America for a van larger than a minivan, that is characterized by a large, boxy appearance, a short hood, and heavy cargo and passenger-hauling capability. The first full-size van was the 1969
Ford Econoline The Ford E-Series (also known as the Ford Econoline or Ford Club Wagon) is a range of full-size vans manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for model year 1961 as the replacement for the Ford F-Series panel van, the E-Se ...
, which used components from the
Ford F-Series The Ford F-Series is a series of light-duty trucks marketed and manufactured by Ford since the 1948 model year. Slotted above the Ford Ranger in the Ford truck model range, the F-Series is marketed as a range of full-sized pickup trucks. ...
pickups.
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
and the Dodge Ram Van followed with designs with the engines placed farther forward, and succeeding generations of the Econoline introduced longer hoods. For the 2022 model year, full-size vans in the American market included:
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle ( van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, ...
,
Ford Transit The Ford Transit is a family of light commercial vehicles manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1965, primarily as a cargo van, but also available in other configurations including a large passenger van (marketed as the Ford Tourneo in ...
,
Ram ProMaster The Fiat Ducato is a light commercial vehicle jointly developed by FCA Italy and PSA Group (currently Stellantis), and mainly manufactured by Sevel, a joint venture between the two companies since 1981. It has also been sold as the Citroën C25 ...
, and Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana.


Step van

Another type of van specific to North America is the ''
step van Multi-stop trucks (also known as walk-in delivery or step vans) are a type of light-duty and medium-duty truck created for local deliveries to residences and businesses. They are designed to be driven either sitting down or standing up, and oft ...
,'' so-named because of the ease with which one can step in and out. 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. Step vans have more boxy shapes, wider bodies, and higher rooftops than other vans, and are rarely employed for carrying passengers.


Rollover safety

A van is taller than a typical passenger car, resulting in a higher
center of gravity In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the balance point) is the unique point where the weight function, weighted relative position (vector), position of the distributed mass sums to zero. Thi ...
. The suspension is also higher to accommodate the weight of 15 passengers, who can weigh over one ton alone. In the United States, it is common for only the front seat passengers to use their
safety belt A seat belt (also known as a safety belt, or spelled seatbelt) is a vehicle safety device designed to secure the driver or a passenger of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result during a collision or a sudden stop. A seat belt reduc ...
s. The U.S.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes" rela ...
(NHTSA) has determined that belted passengers are about four times more likely to survive in rollover crashes. Safety can be improved by understanding the unique characteristics of 12- and 15-passenger vans and by following guidelines developed for their drivers, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).


Safety equipment

Many commercial vans are fitted with
cargo barrier A cargo barrier is a vehicle accessory installed into motor vehicles to aid occupancy safety when carrying loads or domestic pets, (usually dogs) in the rear section of a vehicle. Other terms used for cargo barriers include: dog guard, mesh parti ...
s behind the front seats (or rear seats, if fitted) to prevent injuries caused by unsecured cargo in the event of sudden deceleration, collision, or a rollover. Cargo barriers in vans are sometimes fitted with doors permitting the driver to pass through to the cargo compartment of the vehicle.


See also


References

{{Automobile configuration Commercial vehicles