VAN fleets are being hindered in their efforts to go green, with many manufacturers refusing to release mpg and CO2 figures and no independent economy and emissions figures available.

Now industry analyst CAP is calling for vans to be included in standardised pan-European testing for mpg and CO2 output.

Values services manager Mark Norman, who works with CAP’s fleet customers, said: ‘Fleets are demanding their suppliers demonstrate green credentials, and yet we are still unable to meet their need for independently derived fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures for vans because that information is not made available.’

Fleet Van editor Trevor Gelken added: ‘All the manufacturers have figures but as there is no legal obligation to publish them, most don’t. Citroën and Toyota are among the notable exceptions.

‘The government is constantly urging van fleet operators to ‘green’ up their acts but how on earth can they if they don’t have such basic information at their fingertips?’

The principal argument given against publishing figures is that they would not give a true picture because commercial vehicles are operated with widely varying payloads. <>P> Both Norman and Gelken believe this is easily remedied with testing of empty and fully laden vehicles to produce best and worse-case scenarios.

Gelken added: ‘Fleet Van is about to launch a new campaign urging the country’s commercial vehicle manufacturers to release their figures. We hope, like CAP, that we can put an end to this ridiculous situation.’