Nissan NV200 Cargo Van Fuel Savings

 

Downsizing Your Cargo Van Fleet for Fuel Economy

January 1, 2014

As a major Commercial Vehicle Dealer in Northern California I must hear the "Fuel Economy" question 20 times per week. What amazes me about this question is that there are probably thousands of businesses driving the absolute WRONG vehicle for their business needs. I recently sold a Nissan NV200 Compact Cargo Van to a company you was using a 3500 1-Ton Cargo Van with a 5.4 liter V8 engine to deliver flowers! This vehicle was averaging 12 miles per gallon and this business was literally throwing money away month after month.

The question that needs to be asked is not what is the fuel economy of a particular vehicle, but what the van will be used for and what payload it will carry. I have yet to meet a florist that needs a 4,200 pound payload capacity, but they bought a van they found on sale or "for cheap" with that capacity. If you are concerned about fuel economy in your Fleet you need to figure out what each vehicle needs to carry on a daily basis. A van that far exceeds your daily needs will probably cost you more than buying the van that is a perfect fit.

The Nissan NV200 is a Compact Cargo Van new to the U.S. market this year. I have been finding over and over that businesses don't just want but need a van like this. 

 Here's a great example of why the NV200 may be a perfect fit for you.

Joe's Plumbing in Anytown USA has five 2500 Cargo Vans with a V8 Engine which average 13 miles per gallon. On any given day all five vans are in the field doing installation jobs and service calls. Driving roughly 100 miles per day there is a fuel cost of about $27.00 per van. If this company can replace two of their vans with NV200's they will spend about $16 per day. While $11 per day doesn't sound like a lot, that's over $2,800 per year in fuel savings. Multiply that by two trucks and there's about $5,700 per year saved just in fuel alone.

Now, this scenario only works if Joe's Plumbing can downsize their vehicles to a compact cargo van like the NV200, which in most cases the answer is yes. Ask any contractor what they have in the back of their van and they will usually say "Everything I can fit in it". Job after job, the unused materials stack up giving the illusion that the van is so completely full there is no way they can downsize. I assure you from experience a majority can - they simply choose not to.

Here's a simple table of what you can expect to save by switching just one van over to a Nissan NV200. As you can see over 5 years the NV200 could save you close to $15,000 in fuel over your current van. Imagine where you can put $15,000 into your business other than your gas tank! 

Based on 13 MPG Combined fuel economy for Full Size Cargo Van

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