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A van is a vehicle used for Transport ing goods or groups of people. It is generally a rather box-shaped vehicle on four wheels, about the same width and length as a large Automobile , but taller and usually higher off the ground. It can either be a specially designed vehicle or be based on a saloon/sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs (pick-ups etc). Some vans can be really small, like the van versions of the Mini or can be really large like some Mercedes-Benz vans. Larger vehicles are classified as trucks or lorries. WORD USAGE AND ETYMOLOGY The word ''van'' is a shortened version of the word '''' which originally meant a covered vehicle. In British English , this now has a similar meaning to the U.S. Terms '' Travel Trailer '' or '' Recreational Vehicle (RV)''. The word ''van'' has slightly different, but overlapping, meanings in different forms of English . While the word always applies to boxy cargo vans, the most major differences in usage are found between the different English-speaking countries. United Kingdom and Australia British English speakers will generally refer to a passenger Minivan as a ''people-carrier'' or ''MPV'' (multi-purpose vehicle), and a larger passenger van as a Minibus . British people, mostly older ones, will also sometimes call a Pickup Truck a ''van'', something Americans would not do. Similarly, in Australia , Panel Van s, RVs popular among young people in the 1970s , were based on locally-manufactured Ute s (short for utility, the local name for pickup). United States In the United States, a ''van'' can also refer to a box-shaped trailer or Semi-trailer used to carry goods. In this case there is a differentiation between a dry van, used to carry most goods, and a Refrigerated van (a ''reefer'') used for cold goods. A railway car used to carry baggage is also called a ''van''. Occasionally the term ''van'' is also used to refer to a minivan. However, minivans are usually distinguished by their smaller size, Unibody architecture, and Front Wheel Drive Powertrain s. EXAMPLES The ''standard'' or ''full size'' vans in the , Ford and General Motors . The frame and drive train are identical or similar to the full-sized pickups made by the each manufacturer but with a snub front, resulting in most of the engine protruding under a console between the front seats, often called a ''dog house''. They have been sold as both cargo and passenger models to the general public and as Cutaway Van Chassis versions for Second Stage Manufacturer s to make box vans, ambulances, campers and other vehicles. Second stage manufacturers also modify the original manufacturer's body to create Custom Van s for the general public. Dodge, now part of Daimler-Chrysler quit making their model in June of 2002 and replaced it with the Dodge Sprinter which may be due to roll-over concerns. USAGE In urban areas of the United States full-size vans have been used as ''commuter vans'' since 1977, when Dodge introduced a van that could transport up to 15 passengers. Commuter vans are used as an alternative to Carpool 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 instance, there are those who come to homes or places of business to perform services or to install or repair appliances. Vans are also used to shuttle people and their luggage between Hotel s and Airport s, to transport Commuter s between Parking lots and their places of work, and along established routes as minibuses. CRITICISM Recently, the passenger versions have been criticized for having a tendency to roll over. The van body is taller than the cab and bed of the pickup that uses the same style frame and powertrain resulting in the basic van having a higher Center Of Gravity than a similarly loaded pickup from which it is derived. The seats in the passenger version raise the load, passengers, above the floor, further increasing the center of gravity. The bench seats allow passengers to slide if Safety Belt s are not used (in the United States it is common for only the front seat passengers to use their Safety Belt s) and belted passengers can still lean and shift a large amount. The result is a high center of gravity and a shifting load, particularly in passenger versions. In addition, many of the drivers of passenger vans drive them infrequently. Apart from safety issues, it seems inefficient to have a high cross-sectional area and a high Mass when only transporting one to two persons on average. Average heights are for:
This leads to increased energy demand and thus fuel consumption and more consumption of other resources like steel, brake blocks, oil, etc. Modular vehicle concepts and Low-energy Vehicle s are in preparation of avoiding those problems. ALTERNATIVES For business and private in most cases the usage of trailers gives the possibility to transport bulky goods without the need to propel a heavy vehicles all the time. Utility Cycling is a more extreme form of transporting goods. Here also trailer are seen. Apart from bicycle couriers, window cleaners are employing bicycles. For craftsmen in cities its also possible to use a transport service i.e. the specialists may arrive via public transport and bulky or heavy material is transported by courier services either from the same company or using courier express or parcel services. Thus parking fees and city tolling may be avoided. SEE ALSO Makes of van also with alternative propuslion like CNG, E85 and B100! Full-size vans Chevrolet
Citroën Dodge
Fiat Ford
FSC
FSO
GAZ GMC
Mazda Mercedes-Benz Nissan Opel Peugeot Plymouth
Renault Toyota Volkswagen Mid-size vans Chevrolet Minivans
Alternative Propulsion Since light truck are often operated in stop&go mode hybrid electric models are useful:
The follwing vehicles may be used in yards or in historic city centres:
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