What Are The Best Vans For Carrying Euro Pallets?

The wooden Euro pallet is a familiar sight for tradespeople & the number a van can hold could be the deciding factor when it comes to choosing a new one. Our customers often ask us which vans can carry the most, which is why we asked Vanarama Van Expert Tom Roberts to research & rank them in one article.

When you look at a van brochure, the van's Euro pallet capacity is often a key feature the manufacturer will shout from the rooftops. The width between the wheel arches in the van's loading bay will also be proudly stated - so long as it's over 1200mm (the width of a Euro pallet).

This is because Euro pallets are everywhere & building supplies/materials are usually delivered to tradespeople on Euro pallets, put in the back of that tradesperson's van & carried to a customer's house. They're convenient, safe & standardised with around 500 million currently in circulation across the globe (I was just as surprised as you are by that figure).

What Is A Euro Pallet?

The Euro pallet was designed back in the 1960s with the single goal of helping to speed up loading cargo onto trains - the proven idea being that if everything you want to carry is loaded onto identically-sized pallets, they will fit together better in a cargo hold. The pallet's vital statistics were 1200mm by 800mm by 144mm, which haven't changed throughout its lifetime.

From there, as European industrial integration gathered pace through the 1970s & 1980s, most European industries (not just trains) switched over to using Euro pallets & standardised all trucks, vans, forklifts & warehouses to work with them. The rest - as they say - is history, so let's get going & take a look at the best small, medium & large vans for carrying Euro pallets currently available in the UK.

My ranking for each van size category takes the number of pallets into consideration first, with payload being the deciding factor if the vans in that category can all carry the same number of pallets.

Which Small Vans Carry The Most Euro Pallets?

Small Van Rank	Van Name	Loading Bay Length	Loading Bay Width	Width Between Wheel Arches	Payload	Euro Pallet Capacity
1	Fiat Doblo Cargo XL	2170mm	1714mm	1230mm	1005kg	2
2	Citroen Berlingo XL	2167mm	1550mm	1229mm	970kg	2
3	Ford Transit Connect L2	2231mm	1496mm	1249mm	833kg	2

In the small van category, all 3 vans can fit 2 Euro pallets in the back so it comes down to payload. The Fiat Doblo's 1000kg+ payload makes it the clear winner, although the excellent Citroen Berlingo is not far off with 970kg (& is by far the more popular van in terms of sales year-to-date. The Ford Transit Connect, however, while having the lower payload is just as popular as the Berlingo.

All 3 vans can fit the same number of Euro pallets, so your choice of the three will really come down to how much weight you need to carry. The Citroen Berlingo & Ford Transit Connect are excellent value for money with some exciting trim level options to choose from - I'd start my search for a small van with either one.

Which Medium Vans Carry The Most Euro Pallets?

Medium Van Rank	Van Name	Loading Bay Length	Loading Bay Width	Width Between Wheel Arches	Payload	Euro Pallet Capacity
1	Peugeot Expert Standard Professional 1400	2512mm	1628mm	1258mm	1458kg	3
2	Ford Transit Custom 340 L1H1	2554mm	1775mm	1351mm	1405kg	3
3	VW Transporter T32 SWB 110PS Startline	2572mm	1700mm	1244mm	1304kg	3

Once again, each van in the medium van category is capable of carrying 3 Euro pallets, so payload is the determining factor. The Peugeot Expert has the highest payload in the medium sector anyway (rivalling some large vans), so it's the clear winner here - interestingly, its PSA Group brother the Citroen Dispatch also features the same payload & Euro pallet capacity.

As for the other 2, the Ford Transit Custom & VW Transporter are excellent vans in their own rights - the Ford Transit Custom especially is superb value for money with efficient engine choices & trim level options available. The VW Transporter's payload is slightly lower than you might expect, but make your choice based on the actual weight you carry & you won't go wrong.

Which Large Vans Carry The Most Euro Pallets?

Large Van Rank	Van Name	Loading Bay Length	Loading Bay Width	Width Between Wheel Arches	Payload	Euro Pallet Capacity
1	VW Crafter CR35 LWB Maxi 140PS	4855mm	1832mm	1380mm	1053kg	6
2	Mercedes- Benz Sprinter 315 L4H2	4810mm	1787mm	1350mm	1037kg	6
3	Fiat Ducato 35 XL High 120PS	4070mm	1870mm	1422mm	1445kg	5

Unlike the small & medium van categories, there are 2 clear winners in terms of Euro pallet carrying ability - the VW Crafter & Mercedes-Benz Sprinter both able to fit 6 Euro pallets in the back with comparable payloads of just over 1000kg. However, just look at the Fiat Ducato's payload of over 1400kg - it definitely deserves special mention for having such an incredibly tough platform capable of carrying so much weight!

The large van category - in terms of sales - seems to be a tussle for the top spot between the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter & the Ford Transit, but the latter isn't in this top 3 for Euro pallet carrying ability. That's not me knocking the Ford Transit, it's an excellent van, just pointing out that maybe the Sprinter is winning for more than just its excellent tech-filled cabin.

Tom's Takeaways

Euro pallet capacity is a key stat for a modern van. The Euro pallet is the standard way to carry goods & materials across the continent, so it makes sense that customers want to know which vans can carry the most. For my money, a van's payload is more important as a 'first thing to consider' than how many Euro pallets it can fit in the loading bay - but it's a very close second.

In the end, I'm falling back on my usual piece of advice - choose your van based on what you need it to do. If you constantly carry Euro pallets loaded with materials then choose a van that can fit them in. It's as simple as that.

If you want to know more about these leading vans & pickups, why not take a look at our in-depth vehicle reviews or for top deals check out our latest van offers