A Complete Overview of the Best Delivery Van Hire Solutions

Why hire a delivery van?

Because delivery van hire is cheaper. It’s more convenient.

Vans are assets that depreciate quickly. So, does it really make sense to buy a van? They’re not exactly cheap, so how long would it take to cover its cost and then really earn some money? Plus, vans usually leak money. They need constant maintenance and if that’s not done on time, you’ll end with costly repairs.

That’s why hiring a delivery van is preferred. A delivery van is meant to cover many miles a day and be in tip-top condition. Most van hire providers take care of regular maintenance works, so here’s a plus. We’ll talk more about the advantages to van hire later in our guide.
But first, let’s discuss actual van models.

What are the best delivery vans to hire?

Delivery vans need to be reliable, spacious. They need to provide comfort for the driver who spends so many hours a day driving around. Exactly, you know what we’re talking about!

Luckily, when it comes to vans, there are plenty of choices available. But which one do you choose?

Let’s have a look at some of the most recommended vans below.

1. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter – delivery drivers’ favourite

The Sprinter is by far the favourite choice for delivery drivers. It’s one of the most versatile vans on the market, making it perfect for any job.

Here’s what makes the Sprinter so special and a favourite delivery van hire.

• Mercedes Sprinter cabs and seats are spacious, comfortable and high quality. Entry and exit are easy, and that’s quite convenient when you do multi-drop deliveries. Also, Mercedes designed the Sprinter’s seats with the driver’s comfort in mind. The seats are comfortable and made of very durable, wear-resistant materials.
• It’s got the reputation of the best engine. Mercedes is well-known for its engines that’ll run forever and ever. If well-maintained, of course. The reliability of its engine is very appealing to delivery van drivers. And if you have long distances to cover, you’ll want an engine you can trust.
• You’re spoiled with length choices! The Sprinter comes in four lengths and three heights options. With the longest body and the highest roof (L4, H3) you get over 4.8 m of load length and a height of 2.24m. That’s 17 m3 for those packages to deliver.
• Many and great features. The newest Sprinter models now come with front-wheel drive option as well, 9 speed automatic gearbox, and 4×4 options. It also offers some top-notch safety features on its standard models, so you don’t have to pay extra for the best safety features like you do for other vans.

2. Mercedes-Benz eSprinter – the electric delivery van of the future

Believe it or not, the electric revolution is happening now and not all vans are diesel anymore. Big companies, like Amazon, have already added electric vans to their fleet. Hop on the green trend with electric delivery van hire.

The eSprinter has some great benefits, such as:

• It’s an electric superstar of vans. The eSprinter is probably the model all electric vans are measured against. That’s how much of an icon it is. It’s the top choice of companies looking to switch to electric.
• You save money with the eSprinter. With the rising prices of fuel, electric is more and more appealing. Plus, the eSprinter is a zero emissions van so you don’t pay ULEZ and congestion charges nor Clean Air Zone charges.
• It’s got good payload for deliveries. The eSprinter may not come with the option to choose the length as its diesel counterpart, but it still offers a generous cargo volume of 11 m3 and a payload of 731 kg.
• It’s perfect for around or within urban areas. The fact that an electric van will let you down after a few miles is just a myth. The truth is electric vans have improved so much that they offer incredible driving ranges. The 55 kWh battery of the eSprinter offers a range of 81-103 miles. Plus, it can charge in about 2 hours. So, if you’re delivering around or within cities, you’re well covered.

3. Ford Transit – best sold van in the UK

There’s a good reason why Ford Transit is the best sold van in the UK. It’s a reliable, spacious van. It’s one of the preferred choices of fleet managers and businesses.

But let’s take a look at some of its pros:

• The Transit offers a good driving experience. It’s a large van, but it feels so much smaller when you drive it. It’s easy to control, suitable even for the most inexperienced drivers.
• It’s a spacious van with great payload. Ford Transit comes in three available lengths. It’s longest wheelbase model offers a generous 15.1 m3 load capacity. Its absolute maximum payload weight allows a stunning 2,200 kg. That should be more than enough for all the packages you’re looking to deliver.
• It’s a safe and convenient van. The Transit features some nice safety options that are available on the standard models too. To name a few, you get lane-keeping assist, pedestrian detection, automated emergency braking, automatic parking, blind-spot monitoring and many other features.

4. Renault Master E-Tech – the most versatile electric delivery van

Alongside the usual panel van version, the Renault electric van is available for a wide range of conversions, including as a Luton van, which comes in handy when you’ve got bulky deliveries to make.

This is a great deal of versatility that no other electric van offers.

• Maximum cargo volume for big deliveries. Renault Master E-Tech has a cargo volume of up to 13 m3. The Luton van version with a tail lift will carry over 1,000 kg.
• It’s ideal for local deliveries. Its official driving range if 115 miles. However, in reality, you can expect around 75 miles. But that’s not bad if you don’t have to deliver long-distance. In fact, it’s great to have an electric Luton van for your local large deliveries.
• It offers a great deal of choices. The panel van is available in two lengths and two heights. There is a chassis cab in two lengths available for conversion purposes. That means you can have any diesel conversion you can think of (box van, tipper, low loader) in the electric version. How cool is that?

5. Vauxhall Vivaro – The made-in-Britain iconic van

Vauxhall is a big name in the UK and the Vivaro is one of the most iconic vans. There are a lot of good things about the Vivaro from its great payload to fuel economy and fewer CO2 emissions.

Here’s what the Vivaro has to offer.

• Comfortable, easy to drive van. Vauxhall Vivaro offers a very much car-like driving experience, perhaps one the of the best among vans. It provides great stability on the road and is pretty quiet even at higher speeds.
• Big on storage. While the latest models are a bit narrower, the load volumes are bigger and payloads are better. It can offer an impressive payload of 1,458 kg. That’s remarkable for a mid-size van.
• It’s a great van for city deliveries. With its smaller dimensions, yet great payload, the Vivaro makes deliveries within busy cities easy. It’s quicker to navigate small streets in a van that squeezes by more easily. It’s a great van hire for parcel delivery.
• Safe, but at a price. As safety tests have shown, Vauxhall Vivaro is quite a safe van. However, be willing to pay for those extra features. The standard version is pretty basic. Or go and hire one and don’t worry about paying extra for features.

Advantages and options to delivery van hire

When it comes to hiring a delivery a van, the good news is there are plenty of options to choose from. You can hire a delivery van for short-term only if you don’t need it for a long time.

You can choose flexible delivery van hire if you don’t want to be tied to fixed terms. Or you can go all in and hire a delivery van on a long-term contract. The latter is usually the best option.

You can hire any type of van that suits your needs. From panel vans, Luton vans to refrigerated vans or even electric vans.

Hiring a van on long-term may prove be more cost efficient. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the vehicle’s value. Or about maintenance – in most cases, the hire provider takes care of usual maintenance works, such as MOT.

Another advantage to delivery van hire is that some providers offer breakdown cover, insurance or fuel cards with the hiring contract.

The easiest way to van hire for delivery drivers

The marked is packed with options. But how do you choose the right one for you? It takes a lot of time and effort to research all the solutions and choose one.

Time and effort that’d be better spent on something else. Because when it comes to van hire, you can let the experts do the heavy lifting for you.

At iCompario, we’re experts at doing just that – searching the market and identifying the best solution for your business needs. Give us less than a minute of your time to fill in a form and we’ll get back to you with a solution.