The days of the cramped, gas-guzzling American contractor van are numbered. Fleet buyers are now faced with a wide range of roomy, fuel-efficient, European-style models—such as the Ford Transit, Nissan NV, Mercedes Sprinter and Ram ProMaster—that promise more capability and cargo space while driving twice as many miles on the same gallon of fuel.
"We see it as a victory of the European van concept," says Claus Tritt, general manager of commercial vans for Mercedes Benz USA. The company was the first to bring a tall van—the Sprinter—to the U.S.; over the past decade, the van has been sold under the Dodge, Freightliner and Mercedes brands. Last year, Mercedes sold 20,929 units, representing an 8% share of the full-size van pool, according to Automotive News. Another analyst, Polk, estimates that, last year, 38% of Sprinters were registered as fleet vehicles.