Increase in second hand vans being deployed by fleets

One-in-six fleets (16%) are already operating second hand vans, with two-in-five (40%) planning to start using them in the next three years, new research suggests.

The trend towards used vans is consistent across all fleet sizes, according to the Arval Mobility Observatory, with 18% of fleets with fewer than 10 employees already operating preowned light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and 36% planning to add more; compared to 14% and 43% respectively for those with more than 1,000 employees.

Shaun Sadlier, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, says that the research does not look into the reasons behind their increasing use.

However, he added: “There are a number of trends underway that serve as probable explanations.

“The most likely is that, since the pandemic, new van supply has been limited and therefore fleets have been turning towards alternative sources of meeting their needs, including the used market.

“For some operators, buying used has become relatively commonplace, and it has been an effective way of meeting their requirements.”

The figures are taken from the 2024 Arval Mobility Observatory Fleet and Mobility Barometer, which questioned 8,605 businesses in 30 countries about their vehicle operations.

Sadlier continued: “The same supply trend also means that fleets have been continuously extending replacement cycles and have learnt, to some extent, that vans have potentially longer fleet lives than they once thought, even if maintenance becomes more of an issue over time. This has potentially removed the fear from buying older vehicles.

“Finally, prices of new vans have been rising quite rapidly in recent years, and so buying used provides a route to reducing acquisition costs.”

He added: “It is entirely possible that if we see a continuation in the improvement of new supply that has been underway over the last couple of years, this trend towards used vans will fail to materialise.

“However, it’s a strong indication of how van fleets view the current situation in terms of vehicle availability and operational issues.”