Different Utility Vehicle Types

On this page, we would like to inform you about the definitions of commercial vehicles, the types of commercial Truck service in Dubai and the main key figures for commercial vehicles.

Different Types of Utility Vehicles

Utilities can transport things or goods or people.

Commercial vehicles dedicated to the transport of goods

Motor vehicles that primarily transport goods are commonly referred to as Trucks, Heavy Duty Trucks, Vans or Vans. Another designation, often used in the commercial vehicle world, is that of EC vehicle category N. It is divided into three subgroups based on total weight:

Class N1 Under 3.5 Tons:

 They can be driven with a traditional category B driving licence. They include vans such as the Mercedes Sprinter, Opel Movano or Renault Traffic. As a sub-group they sometimes include high-roof combis or vans like the VW Caddy, Citroën Berlingo, Mercedes Citan or Renault Kangoo, but these are usually registered as passenger cars.

Class N2 between 3.5 to 12 tons

Class N3 – trucks over 12 tonnes: A category C1 (up to 7.5 tonnes) or C driving license is required to drive category N2 and N3 vehicles.

Commercial Vehicles Dedicated to The Transport of People

There are also many motor vehicles intended for the transport of people, that is, cars. In EU terminology, these vehicles belong to category M.

The most important subgroup here is category M1. It includes all cars with four wheels and a maximum of eight seats (driver not included). This class therefore includes both a VW Multivan, the Mercedes V-Class and SUVs such as the VW Tiguan, for example, which is part of the M1G subclass – all-terrain vehicles.

M-Class Utility Body Types

In order to be able to identify commercial vehicles among vehicles of category M, another finer criterion of distinction is therefore needed. The selection criterion is the so-called body shapes, i.e. how the body of a vehicle is shaped or built at the rear.

With regard to commercial vehicles, the following body shapes are important in vehicle category M1:

Station wagons that have the terminology AC–l: This category includes most high-roof station wagons or their transport variant, usually windowless, vans. Examples: vans: Ford Turneo Courier, Skoda Roomster, Opel Combo or Opel Combo van.
Multi-purpose vehicles (AF terminology): these are motor vehicles intended for the transport of goods or passengers plus their luggage in a single cabin, which do not fall into other categories such as station wagons, convertibles or sedans. This category generally includes fire and rescue service vehicles.

Another Body Type, Which Actually Belongs to The Category of Trucks, Also Plays a Role:

Vans (BB terminology): these are box trucks whose cargo space and passenger space are surrounded by a body. The two spaces are not separated or only by a partition.

If these vehicles have no more than 3 to 8 seats and a total weight of less than 3.5 tons, they are generally classified as passenger cars. Large vans, such as the Ford Transit Connect Van or the Peugeot Partner Van, fall into this category.

Conclusion: some commercial vehicles can therefore be trucks as well as cars. The latter are distinguished above all by their type of bodywork. Thus, commercial vehicles include both high-roof combi vans, pick-ups and people carriers, vans and minibuses, etc.
Commercial vehicles and the main key figures

Now it remains to know what are the key figures that determine what a utility vehicle can do. Since they are mainly intended for the transport of people and goods, the key figures relating to payload and loading volume naturally play an important role.

Key figures relating to weight and payload according to the types of utility vehicles

Curb weight: While there are many definitions of curb weight, it is really the weight of the vehicle in running condition. The empty weight therefore includes the masses of all the utensils (warning triangle, first aid kit, etc.) and of all the necessary liquids (fuel, lubricant, etc.) as well as the weight of the driver; it is generally estimated at 75 kilos.

Permissible gross weight: The sum of the curb weight and the maximum load of a vehicle (or of a combination of vehicle and trailer).

Axle load: This is the part of the total weight of a vehicle that rests on a given axle. Axle load is usually expressed in tons.

These Two Indicators Are Important to Identify the Type of Utility in Question:

maximum load (payload),

the towed load.

The towed load refers to the maximum permissible total load that a vehicle, whether it is a car or a truck, can tow. A distinction should be made between what is technically possible and what is legally permitted. This brings us to the concept of maximum load (payload) – the maximum possible weight of people and payloads that can be carried in a vehicle.

For transport vehicles, the maximum load of the vehicle/trailer combination is particularly important, and a distinction must be made between unbraked trailers and braked trailers.

Unbraked trailers can weigh a maximum of 750 kilograms and the effective total weight of the trailer must not exceed that of the towing vehicle. If it is a braked trailer, the total weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer must not exceed 3.5 tonnes. The weight of the trailer must be lower than that of the towing vehicle (its unladen weight is decisive).
Good payload or towed load value of different utility Pickup truck rental company UAE.