What is The Most Fuel Efficient Cargo Van?

[AllanA]

Found this article that looks pretty good.  

[font=Poppins, sans-serif]What is The Most Fuel Efficient Cargo Van?[/font]
[font=Poppins, sans-serif][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]https://momentumiot.com/what-is-the-most-fuel-efficient-cargo-van/[/font][/SIZE][/font]

 

[RVTravel]

The smallest ones like Nissan NV200, Ford Transit Connect, Ram Promaster City.

 

[travelaround]

I frequently find that my Ford Transit 350 HR/EL gets slightly more than 20mpg. This is primarily when I'm driving on the mountain road between my hometown and the interstate 65 miles away. When I'm on the interstate, or in a city, the mpg is less.

 

[john*thomas]

I have seen 26 with my Nissan NV200 but that is a figure while it is empty.

 

[GoingMobile]

Among the best full size vans are the Dodge/Freightliner/Mercedes T1N Sprinters made before 2007 with a 5 cylinder Mercedes Turbo Diesel. Up to 28mpg. But difficult to find one in good shape at this point.

I had a 2018 Ford Transit connect which got 26mpg highway, but I found it too small to do much with. You'd have to be a real minimalist. But it could be done. I sold it and bought a full size Transit which is working out much better, but costing more in gas. On a good day I can get 20mpg but around town more like 15.

 

[Learnmore]

We have a 2019 Ram Promaster 159 that has been fully converted.  We consistently get 19.2 -20.5 traveling on the highways in the eastern half of the country.

 

[Cammalu]

I get about 12mpg in a giant RV. Lots of people with vans don’t do any better than that. My last RV was a comfy 24’ and got 14mpg.

I get buying small to save on gas but unless you can get around 20 plus I don’t see it as much of a trade off. Might be easier to park but still.

 

[chris84]

We have a 2019 Ram Promaster 159 that has been fully converted.  We consistently get 19.2 -20.5 traveling on the highways in the eastern half of the country.

That has been my experience if I drive it manually (without cruise control) at about 65-70.

Mine weights 7700 pounds FWIW

 

[Tony's Dream]

I have a 2016 Ford Transit Connect cargo van and I went on a trip throughout WY covering some 2300 miles. I averaged 27-28 MPG.

 

[Oldwolf]

It's not a cargo van, but my Sienna is set up currently in camper mode. Cruising on the highway it ranges 25-27 mpg. In town, if I drive it carefully, I can maintain 20-21 mpg.

 

[Freelander]

My 25 foot (Chevy 6.0l Vortex) RV gets 8.2 mpg at 65 mph, I bought a chip that pulls into the computer port undertone dash that is supposed to give me up to 4 mpg increase, but I haven't driven anywhere with it yet. If I could get 10 mpg out of it I would be happy.

 

[BigT]

The best I ever got out of my 2010 Ford Transit Connect, was 26mpg on the highway with my cruise control on at 65mph.

I don't live in my tiny van. Way too small for that! It's just for camping and road trips.

 

[urbankid12]

It's not a cargo van, but my Sienna is set up currently in camper mode. Cruising on the highway it ranges 25-27 mpg. In town, if I drive it carefully, I can maintain 20-21 mpg.

I'd say my Honda Odyssey (minivan) IS a cargo van. it could fit a stack of 4ft. x 8 ft. plywood or sheetrock. but since I took out the back fold-down seats and the side trim to the driver side there was even MORE room!  Plus I could take out the passager seat (I'm a bit hesitant on doing that just yet but I'm getting closer to just doing that as well.  If I need a 2nd fridge or a freezer I likely will do just that) 

I get about 24-26 mph freeway mpg. I drive slower typically 65-67MPH. I have an 8inch twin foam IKEA mattress (I did cut off a few inches on the side for the legs given the passager side molding gets a bit more narrow.  I lived like a KING in that minivan during the last year. 

Now if I was at the LTVA this winter I would have been working on putting on a hitch rack where I would have a pop-up "tent room" made from PVC pipe and material like a tarp but was more wind resistant if possible.  Then you could say I could stand up in my minivan addition lol

Maybe even making it out of a mesh metal netting so it's stronger and the wind can go right through it? hmm..  I would be making it only accessible from the passager side sliding minivan door that I don't use since that's the side of my bed.  a little step and BAM a 2nd room that you can stand up in.. "in" a minivan... 

Sorry, that's my 2 cents on the most fuel-efficient cargo van.

 

[Ripper238]

I frequently find that my Ford Transit 350 HR/EL gets slightly more than 20mpg. This is primarily when I'm driving on the mountain road between my hometown and the interstate 65 miles away. When I'm on the interstate, or in a city, the mpg is less.

Its nice driving in the mountains where you can get better MPG.

 

[WayOutWest]

I frequently find that my Ford Transit 350 HR/EL gets slightly more than 20mpg. This is primarily when I'm driving on the mountain road between my hometown and the interstate 65 miles away. When I'm on the interstate, or in a city, the mpg is less.

Great! I have a Ford Transit 350 Medium roof long wheelbase...I get an average of 17.8 mpg. On a long stretch of flat freeway with little wind resistance it can be over 20 mpg, but goes down to 15-16 mpg if I'm gaining elevation or in a strong wind, or on slow roads or forest roads.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

My understanding is that all the Transits are at the same body, same two 6 cylinder engine choices.
So a short wheel base normal roof with the Ecoboost engine probably gets the best mileage.
I have a SWB med roof transist with the 3.7L. I average low 20's MPG.
Maybe mid 20s under the best conditions.
This goes down a bit when I hit hills or get stuck in traffic that forces me to go faster or slower.
I find optimum speed to be around 60 mph.
It also has a lot to do with driving style.
I accelerate slow and let the transmission do the work.
Also avoid going up to 70+ MPH because thats when it changes gears and my rpm goes from 2k to 2.5k.
Thats 25% more RPM for 15% more speed. Not efficient.
I'm sure there are cargo versions of imports that have 4 or 5 cylinder engines and smaller bodies.
Older Toyota Sienna vans get amazing gas mileage and are known to keep rolling up to the 200k+ range.
I know a couple that lived in one for a couple years and were getting crazy good mileage. But I've only seen 2 cargo/sedan delivery style versions of it in the states. I think they had a different name than the passenger van?

Used to be easy to get old postal vans for cheap. They were basically Jeeps with a van body. Terrible handling, but 4 cylinders and a light body are good for mileage. I was about to buy one from the main depot in Northern California a while back. Then they change policy and decided they werent selling them anymore due to liability? Something about accidents or fires. The guy I spoke with wasn't very clear. he was angry because he now had thousands of old vans, cars and trucks he couldn't sell.
I wonder if they ever changed that policy back?

 

[DannyB1954]

I wonder about fuel economy Vs. longevity. A smaller engine will get better fuel economy, but it will be working harder in many instances. Transmissions are also a consideration. Small engine = small transmission. These items cost thousands to replace, and if you need to replace one there is the possibility of needing to replace the other in the near future.

 

[lavaroxx]

Among the best full size vans are the Dodge/Freightliner/Mercedes T1N Sprinters made before 2007 with a 5 cylinder Mercedes Turbo Diesel. Up to 28mpg. But difficult to find one in good shape at this point.

I had a 2018 Ford Transit connect which got 26mpg highway, but I found it too small to do much with. You'd have to be a real minimalist. But it could be done. I sold it and bought a full size Transit which is working out much better, but costing more in gas. On a good day I can get 20mpg but around town more like 15.

I am right now on Brannan Island, CA in my Ford Transit Connect! And yes, only enough room for single bed size sleeping area, clothes, and two icechests. You have to do a soldier's crawl to get all the way into the van before sleeping but the gas mileage is pretty good. This vehicle was not built as sturdy as my previous passenger cars and I hope it outlasts the loan. I do not have money or ability to truly convert it inside, but it does have many handy holes to hang/bungy buckets and other things at roof level.

 

[lavaroxx]

these have diesel engines which last forever, but hard to get parts and drive on the right side. Really want one. They are not that expensive like a Mercedes camper, in the 20K or so range, made by Toyota in Japan.

 

[Jon Donahue]

The best I ever got out of my 2010 Ford Transit Connect, was 26mpg on the highway with my cruise control on at 65mph.

I don't live in my tiny van. Way too small for that! It's just for camping and road trips.

Same here, with a 2013 Transit Connect, 28-30 mpg at 50-55 mph. Also for 2-3 day camping on state and BLM land here in Arizona, stealth if I go overnight to some city, like San Diego. To live in full-time? No... I’d want a van that I could stand up in, like the Ford Transit or Nissan.