Full-size commercial van market back in spotlight, according to ALG

(September 19, 2014) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — ALG, the analytics division of TrueCar, today released the ALG Industry Report for September 2014 noting that the full-size commercial van segment, often ignored by consumers, is back in the spotlight as the refreshed 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, new 2015 Ford Transit and 2015 Ram ProMaster start to arrive on showroom floors.

According to ALG, by focusing on design and economy in the latest development cycle, manufacturers are delivering vehicles with significantly higher residual values and lower ownership costs.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which comes equipped with a new engine and all-wheel drive available for 2015, leads the segment with 52 percent original value retention after three years. Not far behind is the 2015 Ram ProMaster, which was introduced to the U.S. last model year and enjoys a residual value of 49 percent.

Joining the Sprinter and ProMaster is the all-new 2015 Ford Transit (pictured at right). As part of the One Ford plan, the Transit is replacing the venerable Econoline as their full-sized commercial van model. ALG projects the Transit’s three-year residual value at 47 percent — significantly higher than the residual values for the most recent Econoline model years.

“Escalating fuel prices have placed greater importance on fuel economy for commercial fleet owners,” said Larry Dominique, president of ALG and executive vice president of TrueCar. “These three European-style vans feature lighter-weight construction and better fuel-efficiency than their predecessors. By improving fuel efficiency from an average of 14 mpg from a few years back to nearly 20 mpg today, U.S. Business owners will save hundreds of millions of dollars each year.”

“The market for full-size vans has pent-up demand for vehicles with lower running costs. Businesses are thinking about the entire cost-of-ownership picture now more than ever, and, finally, automakers are responding,” said Dominque.

The burgeoning commercial van segment and other topics are covered in ALG’s Industry Report, a macro look at the U.S. economy and other drivers of ALG’s forecast, including gasoline prices, durable goods and interest rates, as well as trends in jobs reports and consumer confidence.