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

As ‘Freedom Day’ finally looks within grasp, we’re sure that people across the country are excited about the prospect of cautiously venturing back into the outside world. Fitting, then, that the IVECO Daily Mission Awards should be taking a seat on the minibus of life for a ride through the passenger transport and lifestyle sector. Not just a carrier of cargo, the IVECO Daily is ideally suited to passenger carriage with its exceptionally adaptable nature. Cavernous load bays or chassis lengths make a fantastic base for all manner of conversions – from crew vans, welfare units and beyond. One of the few commercial vehicles available from factory as a purpose-built minibus, there is a wide variety of choice across its class-exclusive gross vehicle weight range, including manoeuvrable school buses, intercity or airport transfers, and luxury travel vehicles. Should that not be enough, however, chassis cowls allow for all manner of coach-built specialities. Let’s take a tour of the finalists…

HAYNES TRUCKS – Kent County Council (KCC) Libraries

Providing a key service to those in rural areas or without their own transport, Kent County Council’s mobile library units have become an institution, serving over 28,000 visitors between 2019 and 2020. The five new vehicles are based on 7.2t GVW Daily chassis cabs, with a 5.1m wheelbase and bespoke Euromotive bodies. Featuring rear air suspension for added stability with 800–900kg of books on board, KCC have carefully crafted the vehicles to maximise operational safety. Full-LED headlights are fitted in conjunction with Hi-Connect infotainment, eight-speed Hi-Matic transmission, reverse camera, sensors and buzzers, plus electric wheelchair access. In keeping with the council’s ambition to reduce its carbon footprint, the Daily was selected for its light truck-rivalling payload with reduced running costs and clean, efficient Euro 6D engines. Lithium-ion batteries store energy from roof-mounted solar panels to run internal lighting, air conditioning and 4G Wi-Fi systems without the need for a diesel generator. 

NORTHERN COMMERCIALS – Kelling Group

With more than 1,300 3.5t–7.2t commercial vehicles on fleet, half of which are IVECO Daily vans, Kelling Group is the UK’s leading provider of specialist contract equipment to the infrastructure market. Its latest acquisition – a 3.5t Daily 35S12 van – has been converted into a seven-seat welfare unit with crew rest area, canteen facilities, hot water boiler, changing area and fully functional toilet. The judges were especially impressed with Kelling’s clear utilisation of the Daily’s skillset – with tow bar for exploiting its 3.5t towing capacity, rear camera and IVECO ON connected 3XL R&M package – to maximise TCO and simplify maintenance processes while on hire. A connection to IVECO’s control room can warn about upcoming service requirements, adapt schedules dependent on use and even allow for over-the-air software updates to negate workshop visits. The 120hp Euro 6D engine allows crews to visit ultra-low emission zones while enjoying flexible power on the road between job sites.

NI TRUCKS – Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI)

Unrivalled in versatility, the Daily was the natural choice for Education Authority Northern Ireland’s latest school buses. The 72C18 chassis cowl has been fitted with an enormous but stylish and aerodynamic body, with seating for up to 33 students. Expected to cover around 200,000 miles over 10 years, the IVECO chassis allows EANI to utilise the same workshops as the rest of the 180-strong IVECO fleet for maintenance requirements, minimising downtime and boosting TCO. Impressing the judges with its health and safety considerations, EANI have chosen the Hi-Matic eight-speed automatic gearbox along with cruise control, auto lights and wipers, and automatic climate control to minimise potentially distracting inputs from the driver. A full suite of external cameras are present, along with cross-wind assist, hill descent control and traction plus to guarantee maximum security, stability and traction on A-roads, motorways and hilly country lanes.