The van plays an essential role in our daily lives, even if you don’t drive one.
Vans of all kinds and shapes and sizes are used to provide services and distribute goods in every town and city in the country. For these tasks, you need a proper, full-size van that can carry enough people and equipment to handle a variety of jobs or to deliver a large volume of goods and parcels.
Full-sized vans like these often come in two crucial variants; short wheelbase (SWB) and long wheelbase (LWB). Though the make and model of the van may be the same, the difference between a long wheelbase van and a short wheelbase van can be huge, literally! Here we are going to take a look at the pros and cons of both types of van and what each have to offer you.
What Difference Does Wheelbase Make and Why Does it Matter?
In the van industry, long wheelbase and short wheelbase will usually be abbreviated to LWB and SWB, respectively, and these letters may appear in the model number of the vehicle.
The wheelbase of any vehicle is the distance between the centre points of the front and rear wheels. Longer wheelbase vans are a stretched version of a short wheelbase van. This added distance creates a lot of extra internal space, but it can also change its handling characteristics.
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The Pros and Cons of Short Wheelbase Vans
Most of the vans on the roads today are short wheelbase. They are the most popular choice for their balance of size and manoeuvrability. Short wheelbase vans have a wheelbase not much different from large cars and can navigate roads at a similar pace to the average car. Their shorter wheelbase also means they fit into more parking spaces, which can be very useful for couriers and tradesmen. They are also slightly cheaper to insure than their larger wheelbase counterparts. If you are looking for a van, then you will need van
insurance. You can use quotezone.co.uk to find the cheapest provider for commercial van insurance and get yourself fully covered while saving you and your business money. The biggest downside to driving a short wheelbase van is space.
The Pros and Cons of Long Wheelbase Vans
The extra space a long wheelbase van has is a massive plus. If you are moving a large volume of goods, or need to transport large equipment, then a large wheelbase van is your best choice. Some large wheelbase vans also have more space to accommodate workers, so if you need more seats and to move equipment, you need an LWB. The downside is the handling and manoeuvrability. Where an SWB van can be quite quick and easy to park, LWB vans are bulky and heavier, making them slower and more cumbersome to manoeuvre. Unless you need the extra space, a short wheelbase van is the wiser choice.
The humble van can be a crucial part of any small business, and one of the most valuable members of the team. Choosing the right van for your needs can be difficult, but hopefully, this guide has helped you make the choice between a short wheelbase or long wheelbase vehicle.
