Cheapest Vans To Run in the UK by Annual Mileage
Cheapest Cars
The cheapest van to run is not the same for every driver. Annual mileage has a major impact on fuel costs, maintenance costs, depreciation and overall cost per mile.
This guide compares cheap-to-run vans across common UK mileage intervals, including 5,000, 10,000, 12,000, 15,000, 20,000, 25,000 and 30,000 miles per year.
Why Mileage Changes the Cheapest Van
At lower mileages, depreciation can dominate the total running cost. At higher mileages, fuel economy and maintenance costs become more important. This means the cheapest van at 5,000 miles per year may not be the cheapest at 20,000 or 30,000 miles per year.
DriveSmart running cost calculations are based on depreciation, maintenance and fuel cost data, including CAP-HPI-related cost assumptions.
Cheapest Vans by Annual Mileage
The table below uses DriveSmart running cost data to show the lowest total running cost van at each annual mileage.
Cheapest vans at 5,000 miles per year
The cheapest van at 5,000 miles per year is DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto (£15,214, 101.4p per mile).
At 5,000 miles per year, depreciation can have a bigger impact than fuel costs, so the cheapest vans are often those with low purchase prices and strong residual values.
| Rank | Van | Estimated Total Cost | Estimated Cost Per Mile |
|---|
| 1 | DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto | £15,214 | 101.4p per mile |
| 2 | FORD FIESTA PETROL 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV Trend Van | £16,520 | 110.1p per mile |
| 3 | CITROEN e-C3 83kW 44kWh Standard Range Van Plus Auto [NI] | £16,936 | 112.9p per mile |
| 4 | FORD TRANSIT COURIER PETROL 1.0 EcoBoost Leader Van | £19,723 | 131.5p per mile |
| 5 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L1 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van Auto | £20,943 | 139.6p per mile |
Calculate your own van running costs
Cheapest vans at 10,000 miles per year
The cheapest van at 10,000 miles per year is DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto (£16,738, 55.8p per mile).
At 10,000 miles per year, running costs become more balanced, with depreciation, fuel or electricity, maintenance and servicing all affecting the final cost.
| Rank | Van | Estimated Total Cost | Estimated Cost Per Mile |
|---|
| 1 | DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto | £16,738 | 55.8p per mile |
| 2 | CITROEN e-C3 83kW 44kWh Standard Range Van Plus Auto [NI] | £18,397 | 61.3p per mile |
| 3 | FORD FIESTA PETROL 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV Trend Van | £19,571 | 65.2p per mile |
| 4 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L1 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van Auto | £22,614 | 75.4p per mile |
| 5 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L2 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van | £22,864 | 76.2p per mile |
Calculate your own van running costs
Cheapest vans at 12,000 miles per year
The cheapest van at 12,000 miles per year is DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto (£17,340, 48.2p per mile).
At 12,000 miles per year, fuel economy and maintenance start to become more important, while depreciation still remains a major part of the overall cost.
| Rank | Van | Estimated Total Cost | Estimated Cost Per Mile |
|---|
| 1 | DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto | £17,340 | 48.2p per mile |
| 2 | CITROEN e-C3 83kW 44kWh Standard Range Van Plus Auto [NI] | £19,744 | 54.8p per mile |
| 3 | FORD FIESTA PETROL 1.0 Ecoboost 100 Trend Van | £22,549 | 62.6p per mile |
| 4 | DACIA DUSTER PETROL 1.8 Cargo hybrid 155 Auto | £24,506 | 68.1p per mile |
| 5 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L1 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van Auto | £25,091 | 69.7p per mile |
Calculate your own van running costs
Cheapest vans at 15,000 miles per year
The cheapest van at 15,000 miles per year is DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto (£18,466, 41.0p per mile).
At 15,000 miles per year, commuters and regular drivers should pay close attention to cost per mile, as small differences can add up over the year.
| Rank | Van | Estimated Total Cost | Estimated Cost Per Mile |
|---|
| 1 | DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto | £18,466 | 41.0p per mile |
| 2 | CITROEN e-C3 83kW 44kWh Standard Range Van Plus Auto [NI] | £20,887 | 46.4p per mile |
| 3 | FORD FIESTA PETROL 1.0 Ecoboost 100 Trend Van | £25,442 | 56.5p per mile |
| 4 | DACIA DUSTER PETROL 1.8 Cargo hybrid 155 Auto | £25,443 | 56.5p per mile |
| 5 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L2 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van | £26,095 | 58.0p per mile |
Calculate your own van running costs
Cheapest vans at 20,000 miles per year
The cheapest van at 20,000 miles per year is DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto (£20,574, 34.3p per mile).
At 20,000 miles per year, fuel or electricity costs and maintenance become increasingly important, especially for drivers covering regular long-distance journeys.
| Rank | Van | Estimated Total Cost | Estimated Cost Per Mile |
|---|
| 1 | DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto | £20,574 | 34.3p per mile |
| 2 | CITROEN e-C3 83kW 44kWh Standard Range Van Plus Auto [NI] | £23,350 | 38.9p per mile |
| 3 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L2 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van | £28,990 | 48.3p per mile |
| 4 | FORD FIESTA PETROL 1.0 Ecoboost 100 Trend Van | £29,025 | 48.4p per mile |
| 5 | DACIA DUSTER PETROL 1.8 Cargo hybrid 155 Auto | £29,047 | 48.4p per mile |
Calculate your own van running costs
Cheapest vans at 25,000 miles per year
The cheapest van at 25,000 miles per year is DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto (£22,617, 30.2p per mile).
At 25,000 miles per year, high-mileage drivers can make significant savings by choosing vans with low propulsion costs and predictable maintenance.
| Rank | Van | Estimated Total Cost | Estimated Cost Per Mile |
|---|
| 1 | DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto | £22,617 | 30.2p per mile |
| 2 | CITROEN e-C3 83kW 44kWh Standard Range Van Plus Auto [NI] | £25,516 | 34.0p per mile |
| 3 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L1 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van Auto | £31,282 | 41.7p per mile |
| 4 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L2 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van | £31,618 | 42.2p per mile |
| 5 | FORD FIESTA PETROL 1.0 Ecoboost 100 Trend Van | £33,089 | 44.1p per mile |
Calculate your own van running costs
Cheapest vans at 30,000 miles per year
The cheapest van at 30,000 miles per year is DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto (£24,262, 27.0p per mile).
At 30,000 miles per year, cost per mile is especially important because even small differences in running costs can create large annual savings.
| Rank | Van | Estimated Total Cost | Estimated Cost Per Mile |
|---|
| 1 | DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC 52kW Cargo Extreme 24kWh Van Auto | £24,262 | 27.0p per mile |
| 2 | CITROEN e-C3 83kW 44kWh Standard Range Van Plus Auto [NI] | £28,209 | 31.3p per mile |
| 3 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L1 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van Auto | £32,923 | 36.6p per mile |
| 4 | MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN L2 DIESEL 110CDI Progressive Van | £33,478 | 37.2p per mile |
| 5 | DACIA DUSTER PETROL 1.8 Cargo hybrid 155 Auto | £36,043 | 40.0p per mile |
Calculate your own van running costs
Cheapest Vans at 5,000 Miles Per Year
At 5,000 miles per year, fuel costs are less dominant. Purchase price and depreciation can have a bigger effect on total cost per mile.
Cheapest Vans at 10,000 to 12,000 Miles Per Year
This is a useful range for many UK drivers and small businesses. At this mileage, depreciation, fuel and maintenance all become important parts of the running cost calculation.
See how van cost per mile is calculated.
Cheapest Vans at 15,000 to 20,000 Miles Per Year
At higher mileage, fuel economy becomes increasingly important. Vans with strong fuel efficiency and controlled maintenance costs often perform better in this range.
Cheapest Vans at 25,000 to 30,000 Miles Per Year
For very high-mileage drivers, cost per mile is especially important. Small differences in fuel cost, servicing and depreciation can add up to a large annual saving.
Compare Vans Before You Choose
The cheapest van to run is not always the best van overall. Equipment, specification, comfort, tax, insurance and practicality can also affect the right choice.
You can also compare van prices, equipment, options and specifications.
Related Van Running Cost Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest van to run in the UK?
The cheapest van to run depends on annual mileage, ownership period, depreciation, fuel costs and maintenance costs.
Why does annual mileage affect van running costs?
Annual mileage affects fuel use, maintenance requirements and cost per mile. Depreciation is also spread differently depending on how many miles are driven each year.
What mileage intervals does DriveSmart use?
DriveSmart compares running costs at 5,000, 10,000, 12,000, 15,000, 20,000, 25,000 and 30,000 miles per year.
Can I calculate running costs for my own van?
Yes. The DriveSmart calculator can estimate van running costs from 1,000 to 30,000 miles per year and from 12 to 60 months.