What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

Carrying the momentum forward from the successful IVECO Daily Mission Awards 2022, we arrive in the new year ready to celebrate the very best vehicles and operators for 2023. Kicking off this year’s Mission Awards is the Construction & Utilities category. Vehicles operating in this tough segment need to not only be fit for purpose, but also hardy as their missions frequently demand strength and durability. The construction and utilities sector is among the most demanding, yet once again, the IVECO Daily has stepped up to the challenge with a wide variety of operators taking advantage of its class-leading capabilities. This competitive category was once again tricky to judge, with many impressive entries being submitted for 2023.

Electricity Northwest LTD – Walton Summit Truck Centre

Providing and maintaining electricity to over 2.4 million homes and businesses is no small task, and so Electricity Northwest Ltd depend upon highly capable vehicles. Supplied by Walton Summit Truck Centre, these IVECO Daily vans (35C18H) take full advantage of their 3.5t towing capacity. The Daily’s strong truck-based chassis enables the transportation of mini diggers and other heavy equipment to carry out emergency repairs.

These 3.5t models need to be self-sufficient due to the frequently rural nature of their work, and so converter, Van Liners of Wigan, maximised the impressive cargo volume by creating mobile workshops. Custom heavy-duty racking and LED work lights make these vans ideal for the job, but Electricity Northwest Ltd also needed them to serve as welfare vans for their workers who might be operating far from civilisation. Comfortable seating, a cooking stove, microwave and a heated water handwash station provide creature comforts on breaks.

This submission impressed judges with its extensive specification. The many safety features fitted were commended. There was little wonder why these vehicles achieved a Van Excellence Award, a scheme that promotes the safe and efficient operation of vans.

Coppard Plant Hire LTD – Northern Commercials

Another great example of the IVECO Daily’s hardy chassis proving to be the perfect partner in this segment, Coppard Plant Hire Ltd took delivery of a 3.5t van (35S14 HiMatic) that adds to its IVECO Dropside and Tipper fleet. Other Daily models had proven durable in challenging environments and so the addition of a versatile van model was welcome.

The plant hire company needed a vehicle capable of towing up to 3.5t to transport equipment, but also feature an impressive cargo capacity and internal payload. A vast load length of 3.5m and payload of 1,162kg allows Coppard to maximise the van’s potential for each mission. This Northern Commercials supplied IVECO was sent to Modul-System who completed a truly fit-for-purpose conversion including an internal racking system, extensive camera setup to boost visibility and LED working lamps.

Ordered with the residual value boosting Business trim, this vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, cruise control, front fog lamps and heated electric door mirrors. 

Mission Award judges relished how it used the Daily’s payload, load space and towing capacity, and with its colour and graphics, Coppard Plant’s vehicle stands out in a crowd.