The Origin and Uses of the Economy Van

The economy van has evolved through three generations of design changes. From a full-forward control, primarily commercial vehicle first introduced in the U.S. in 1954, it has grown into a semi-forward control vehicle that is now used in a wide range of business and personal applications. Sales will exceed 700,000 units in 1977. The versatility of the original compact closed body design has been enhanced by higher GVW's, larger engines, and improved driver environment to meet growing customer requirements. The future challenge will be to preserve essential functional characteristics while significantly improving fuel economy.