Any trip through a town centre will reveal countless vans. Small businesses and tradespeople would struggle to survive without them, and it is hard to imagine a time when vans were not so ubiquitous, but their evolution into their current form has taken many years.
The 19th century
In the 1800s, a ‘caravan’ could be defined as a ‘covered truck or wagon’, possibly as a contraction of ‘carry van’. This reflected the purpose of these vehicles, which was to transport goods from one place to another. The use of the caravan in this manner probably already dated back more than a century at this point. Caravans as leisure vehicles for holidays also became popular in Victorian times.
1896
A significant milestone in the history of the van occurred in 1896 when Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft produced its first motorised truck. Capable of travelling up to 7 mph with its two-cylinder Phoenix engine, it was purchased by a buyer in London. It may not have fit the exact definition of a van, but its 1,500kg payload capacity is consistent with modern vehicles. Closer to the modern van is the model developed by Karl Benz using a motorised carriage, which was also in 1896.
The modern van
Mass production of modern-style vans by well-known manufacturers began in the mid-1950s. The first Volkswagen Transporter van appeared on the market in 1950, whilst the Ford Transit traces its history to 1953. These represent the two biggest selling models of all time, at 12.4 million and 8.4 million sales respectively, followed by the Ford E-Series at 8.3 million, Toyota HiAce at 6.7 million, and Volkswagen LT at 5.4 million.
By 2018, vans were estimated to be responsible for around 16% of overall road traffic in the UK, which was the highest level ever. When you browse used vans for sale Worcester from dealers such as https://cotswoldvancentre.co.uk/buy/used-vans-for-sale/worcester, you are contemplating joining a thriving market.
Today, if you are considering buying or hiring a van to carry out some work, take a moment to reflect on just how this essential vehicle has become.
