You are preparing for a move and are unsure about which truck to rent. The 10m3 is often considered the ideal size for a studio or a small apartment.
Behind this designation lies a theoretical volume that does not always correspond to what you can actually load in practice. Understanding the actual interior dimensions of this type of van helps avoid finding yourself on moving day with a piece of furniture that won’t fit or a truck that is half-empty and paid for too much.
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Theoretical volume and actually loadable volume in a 10m3 van
The term “10m3” refers to the gross interior volume of the loading space. In practice, the interior dimensions are around 2.80 m in length, 1.75 m in width, and 1.80 m in height. Multiply these three values and you get a volume close to 8.8 m3, not 10.
Why this discrepancy? Manufacturers sometimes measure the volume up to non-linear walls, including wheel arches and unusable recesses. The actually loadable volume is always less than the advertised volume.
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On top of that, there is a phenomenon that every mover knows: dead spaces. A sofa does not fit perfectly against a refrigerator. Boxes never fill all the gaps. Taking these voids into account, a 10m3 often offers usable space that is reduced by a quarter compared to the displayed figure. This specific point about the interior dimensions of a 10m3 truck changes the way to plan a loading.
Payload of the 10m3 truck: the criterion movers overlook
You have checked that your furniture fits in the truck. But have you thought about the weight? A 10m3 diesel van generally has a payload capacity between 1 and 1.5 tons. This seems comfortable, but a few heavy items can quickly bring you close to that limit.
A washing machine weighs around 70 kg. A combined refrigerator, about the same. Add a convertible sofa, a bookshelf loaded with books, and about twenty well-filled boxes: the ton is quickly reached. Exceeding the payload is an offense that can lead to a fine, but more importantly, it poses a risk of degraded braking and under-sized tires for the load.
Here are the weight categories to watch out for:
- Boxes of books, dishes, and tools, which weigh much more than their volume suggests
- Appliances (washing machine, dryer, dishwasher), often between 50 and 80 kg per unit
- Solid wood furniture (buffet, wardrobe, slatted bed base), whose individual weight often exceeds that of a sofa
Thinking in terms of weight as well as volume helps avoid unpleasant surprises at loading time. If your move includes many heavy but not bulky items, the 10m3 can reach its weight limit before being full.
Interior height and dimensions: what fits and what doesn’t
The interior height of about 1.80 m is the most common friction point. An American refrigerator or a large wardrobe may exceed this height. Even a few centimeters of difference can make loading impossible if the furniture cannot travel lying down.
Measure your tallest furniture before booking. A tape measure and five minutes are enough to check that everything will fit. Also, consider the width of the van’s rear door, which is sometimes slightly less than the interior width of the loading area.
The length of 2.80 m imposes another consideration. A three-seater sofa often measures between 2 m and 2.30 m. It fits, but it takes up almost the entire depth of the truck. If you load a sofa first, the rest of the furniture must stack on top or slide to the sides. The loading order then becomes a real logistical puzzle.
Loading tip to save space
Place the heaviest and flattest items at the back, against the rear wall. Mattresses and bed bases propped vertically along a side wall free up floor space. Boxes come last to fill the gaps and stabilize everything during transport.
10m3 truck and B license: what changes with electric
All thermal 10m3 vans can be driven with a simple B license. The total authorized weight remains below 3.5 tons, the regulatory threshold for this category of license.
A recent feature concerns electric 10m3 vans. Under certain conditions, an electric 10m3 can have a GVW of up to 4.25 tons while still being drivable with a B license. This exemption, linked to the extra weight of the batteries, allows for a payload comparable to that of a diesel despite a heavier empty vehicle.
For the driver, this does not change the driving action. However, it means that the payload displayed on the technical sheet of an electric 10m3 is not directly comparable to that of a diesel. Always check the net payload, not just the GVW.
For which housing is the 10m3 truck suitable
The 10m3 is suitable for moving a studio or a small furnished apartment, up to about 30 m2. Typically: a double bed, a two-seater sofa, a refrigerator, a washing machine, and about twenty boxes. Beyond that, a second trip or a larger size becomes necessary.
This format also shows its limits when the housing is small but overloaded. A 25 m2 studio filled with books, computer equipment, and sports gear can exceed the truck’s useful capacity, not in volume, but in weight.
The right reflex is to list your main furniture, estimate their bulk and weight, and then compare this data with the actual dimensions and payload of the vehicle. This approach avoids approximations based solely on the surface area of the housing, which says nothing about the actual content to be transported.