‘Van life’ encouraging younger people to ditch the car, survey finds

Younger car owners are increasingly turning to vans for general driving, reveals new research by The Green Insurer.

A quarter of 25 to 34-year-olds are considering buying a van instead of a car when they get a new vehicle, the study found. This, it suggests, highlights how vans are becoming more popular for general leisure use and not just for business.

Currently more than a third (36%) of van owners say that they are using their vehicles solely for social, domestic and leisure purposes. Three in 10 (29%) say they use their vans for both work and leisure, and 35% say they use it only for their business, the study found.

But it is not only 25-34-year-olds switching to vans from cars, according to the study, with 8% considering purchasing a van as an alternative to a car, and men and women are equally interested in vans ahead of cars. 

Having more space to carry large items such as surfboards or camping equipment was cited by 71% as one of their top three reasons for choosing a van over a car.  This was followed by a van’s versatility to be used for both work and family leisure activities (54%), the ability to carry more people (49%); and the flexibility to adapt the interior space in terms of seating or large object storage (41%).

Paul Baxter, CEO of The Green Insurer, said: “Our research confirms that the ‘van life’ movement continues to gain popularity, especially amongst younger generations seeking a versatile and functional vehicle that affords them the freedom to travel. Today, vans can be much more than work vehicles used for the transportation of goods or tools.  The increased space they offer over cars can be customised to suit a variety of needs.

“It’s this adaptability that has broadened vans’ appeal beyond the traditional business domain to a wide range of personal uses, and is the reason why we ensured that our van policies cover all classes of van insurance so that eco-conscious motorists who want to buy genuinely green insurance and offset all carbon emissions can use their vans for both business and leisure purposes.”