E-commerce is booming. The courier, express and packet services (CEP) profit from the incredible success of Internet retail more than ever before. Their logistics expenses are incredible. That is why it is so important for them to be able to rely on their transport vehicles.
38 CEP professionals put vans from the major manufacturers through intensive and extensive testing as part of the “CEP Van of the Year” expert awards in the middle of May. They drove more than 14,000 km over the course of 600 test drives in Germany’s Bergische Land to create a realistic basis for the evaluation of the vehicles. The driving handling, comfort, functionality and design were all assessed.
The Sprinter 316 CDI and the Vito 113 CDI clearly dominated the engine, safety, driving comfort and consumption classes. The Sprinter is the first van to go below the Euro VI standard for minimizing exhaust gas with a minimum consumption of 6.3 l/100 km. This explains the jury’s clear decision: The Sprinter and the Vito are the best vans of the year in the 3.0 and 3.5 tonne van classes.
At the award ceremony, Matthias Hindemith, the head of Sales Mercedes-Benz Vans Germany, said: “We are especially pleased to receive awards when our customers form the jury. They confirm that our efforts in development, production, sales consulting and service have paid off.”
In addition, the Side Wind Assist, offered exclusively by Mercedes-Benz, was also recognized. It received the “Safety” innovation prize. The assistant activates automatically at speeds above 80 km/h. As a result, wind gusts have almost no noticeable effect on the vehicle’s driving stability. The Sprinter is equipped with the Side Wind Assist as a standard feature.