{
  "slug": "van-fleet-replacement-cycle",
  "title": "Van Fleet Replacement Cycle Calculator",
  "heading": "Delivery Van Replacement Cycle Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/van-fleet-replacement-cycle",
  "summary": "Find the mileage or age point that minimizes total cost of ownership.",
  "description": "Every delivery van has an optimal replacement point where the declining marginal cost of keeping it (mostly depreciation, which front-loads) crosses the rising marginal cost of running it (maintenance, which back-loads). Replace too early and you eat depreciation you didn't need to; replace too late and rising repair bills and downtime cost more than a new payment would. This calculator computes average total cost per mile at your proposed replacement age, blending straight-line depreciation against purchase price and an escalating maintenance cost, so you can compare a 3-year cycle against a 6-year cycle on equal footing.",
  "formula": "Avg CPM = (depreciation + total maintenance) ÷ total miles at replacement age.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=van-fleet-replacement-cycle",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "purchasePrice",
      "label": "Van purchase price",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 42000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "resaleAtCycle",
      "label": "Expected resale at replacement",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 18000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "annualMiles",
      "label": "Annual miles per van",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 24000,
      "unit": "mi/yr",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "replacementYears",
      "label": "Replacement cycle",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 5,
      "unit": "years",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "avgMaintPerYear",
      "label": "Average maintenance cost per year",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1800,
      "unit": "$/yr",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "avgCpm",
      "label": "Average total cost per mile",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "totalCost",
      "label": "Total cost over cycle",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "depreciation",
      "label": "Total depreciation",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "totalMaint",
      "label": "Total maintenance over cycle",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "annualCost",
      "label": "Average annual cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Van purchase price: 42000 $",
      "Expected resale at replacement: 18000 $",
      "Annual miles per van: 24000 mi/yr",
      "Replacement cycle: 5 years",
      "Average maintenance cost per year: 1800 $/yr"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Average total cost per mile: $0.275",
      "Total cost over cycle: $33,000",
      "Total depreciation: $24,000",
      "Total maintenance over cycle: $9,000",
      "Average annual cost: $6,600"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter van purchase price ($).",
      "Enter expected resale at replacement ($).",
      "Enter annual miles per van (mi/yr).",
      "Enter replacement cycle (years).",
      "Enter average maintenance cost per year ($/yr).",
      "Read your average total cost per mile on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "purchasePrice": 25000,
        "resaleAtCycle": 11000,
        "annualMiles": 14500,
        "replacementYears": 3,
        "avgMaintPerYear": 1100
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "purchasePrice": 42000,
        "resaleAtCycle": 18000,
        "annualMiles": 24000,
        "replacementYears": 5,
        "avgMaintPerYear": 1800
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "purchasePrice": 67000,
        "resaleAtCycle": 29000,
        "annualMiles": 38500,
        "replacementYears": 8,
        "avgMaintPerYear": 2900
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How do I find the actual optimal cycle length?",
      "a": "Run this calculator at several cycle lengths (3, 4, 5, 6 years) with realistic resale values and maintenance estimates for each, then pick the cycle length with the lowest average cost per mile — that's your economic sweet spot, though downtime tolerance can push you shorter."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why does maintenance cost matter if I'm replacing before big repairs hit?",
      "a": "Even routine maintenance (brakes, tires, fluids, minor repairs) climbs steadily after year 2-3 as parts wear from daily stop-and-go delivery use, which is harder on vans than highway miles — factor realistic escalating maintenance, not just year-one numbers, into longer cycles."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does downtime cost belong in this calculation?",
      "a": "It's not included by default, but should be added manually if older vans in your fleet have measurably more unplanned downtime — estimate lost delivery capacity or backup rental cost and add it to the maintenance total for realistic aging vans."
    },
    {
      "q": "How does this differ for EV delivery vans?",
      "a": "EV vans typically have lower maintenance cost (no oil changes, fewer brake jobs from regenerative braking) but currently carry higher purchase price and less certain resale value — use the dedicated EV van TCO calculator to compare directly against a diesel cycle."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/ev-van-tco-vs-diesel",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/maintenance-cost-per-mile-age",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/truck-lease-vs-buy"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Van Fleet Replacement Cycle Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/van-fleet-replacement-cycle)"
}