In an age of uncertainty, business owners navigating a path through the challenges ahead are becoming increasingly certain about one thing… That operating sustainably, and in a way that reduces any negative effects on the wider environment, will save them money and help drive their business forward. That’s why, from the moment they turn the key, Mercedes-Benz Vans remain committed to guiding our customers on a journey towards a brighter, greener, and ultimately more profitable future.

Nowhere is this better demonstrated than across our ever-growing fleet of commercial van owners, who help keep the wheels turning in the British economy 365 days a year. As part of a new report, we recently spoke to 537 of those drivers based across the UK.

We learned that:

• More than three quarters (77%) are in the process of implementing measures within their business to reduce any negative impact on the environment. Nearly eight-in-10 (74%) now regularly take routes that reduce fuel consumption. Over a third (37%) say leasing or buying a van would save them time, while one-in-three (33%) think such a measure would also ultimately save them money.

• The vast majority (76%) are considering switching to an electric van, a move linked to the fact that over half (52%) regard ongoing high fuel costs on petrol station forecourts as a “concern”.

• Meanwhile, even more of our customers have their eyes firmly fixed towards the future. Around three-in-four (77%) say they feel it is important to ensure their children fully understand the impacts of climate change.

It’s not only the buying-behaviours of commercial van drivers which are dramatically shifting through the gears. In fact, 25 years since the phrase “White Van Man” was first coined, our report discovered those occupying the driving seats are changing too.

We found:

• Close to half (43%) of van owners are women.

• Almost two thirds of drivers (63%) feel the van community is now more welcoming to women drivers.

So what’s the driving force behind this new generation of female van owners?

We found:
 

• Female van drivers are engaged in politics, with 85% voting in the last General Election - well above the national average 67% UK turnout.

• Over half (51%) read a broadsheet newspaper in the morning. More than one in five (21%) have Radio Four on in their van to keep up with the latest news. While even more (22%) regularly tune in to a podcast. Our report also found more than one-in-ten (11%) combine driving their van with listening to a foreign language course. C'est magnifique!

• When they aren’t working, more than a third (38%) of female van drivers practise mindfulness, while one in three (33%) said they regularly visit the gym and enjoy yoga. More than a quarter (27%) were living as a vegetarian, vegan or pescatarian. While over two-thirds (39%) said that avocado on toast - rather than a fry-up - is the breakfast they choose to fuel their day.

Mercedes-Benz Vans’ customer Aurelija Meakin, from Bromley in South East London, is one of a growing number of women relying on our vehicles to drive their businesses forward.

The 43-year-old is the proud owner of a Mercedes-Benz e-Sprinter, which she uses to help run her business, Balloonista, which supplies biodegradable party decorations to weddings, West End shows in London and to companies working on major product launches.

She used to spend an average £200 on diesel per week to fuel her van. Now that’s dropped to £70 a week to charge her van. Aurelija’s beloved van is her only vehicle - having recently got rid of a gas-guzzling estate. She is looking to buy an electric car but, in the meantime, uses public transport for personal trips.

The mother-of-one says our report dispels the old-fashioned stereotype that White Van Man rules the roads. “I’m definitely not your stereotypical white van driver,” she said. “When I’m safely parked up at the side of the road in my vehicle, I always get the sense I’m not the person people expect to see sitting behind the wheel.

“Often, at the traffic lights, other drivers will pull up next to me and rev their engine because they can't see who’s behind the wheel.

“My response is always the same - I’ll roll down my window, smile and say have a nice day.

On her switch to a greener life she added: “Living in a more sustainable way is definitely really important to me. I tend to only buy clothes for myself and my daughter from charity shops, I always choose sustainable cleaning products, and as well as getting an electric car, I’m looking at installing solar panels in my home.

“I’ve seen through running a business over the last six years that little green changes can add up to a huge difference.”

The report also found almost three quarters (71%) of van owners view their van as an extension of their office with half (47%) contacting customers, a quarter (26%) negotiating deals and 13% interviewing new staff.

Sales Director, Sarah Palfreyman, from Mercedes-Benz Vans said Aurelija is a great example of the growing number of female drivers which Mercedes-Benz are “proud to be supporting”.

She said: “Our research shows the old image of the van driver is out-of-date and is being replaced by something that truly represents the people making up the van driving community, and that is always evolving.

“It also underlines how business owners are making sustainability a priority - from the materials they use, to their vehicle of choice.

“Small to medium sized business owners have been through a lot over the last few years and we’re proud to be supporting business owners, like Aurelija, by helping keep them moving.

“The van drivers we speak to are hard-working business owners who are fuelling the economy and the drive towards sustainability.

“Many of them tell us their next step is to move to an electric van and we’re here to support them through the transition to EV and beyond.

“At Mercedes-Benz Vans, we pride ourselves in pioneering the switch to electric vehicles. By the end of the decade, all newly launched Mercedes-Benz vehicles will be electric-only and customers will be able to choose an all-electric alternative for every model we make to support business owners in a fully connected, low-carbon future.”