The number of delivery vans (maximum allowed weight 2-3,5 tons) registered in Europe has been rising steadily for the last ten years. Many of these vehicles have powerful engines which allow for
high speeds.
This paper examines the driving dynamics of these vehicles, drawing on the relevant literature on this topic published in Europe (with special regard to Germany). It presents own tests with a new Mercedes Sprinter van, comparing the braking capacity of an overloaded vehicle with the one of a van without loading.