AbstractVariable displacement vane pumps are used in a variety of applications, most prominently in the context of modern automotive vehicles. Minimal models capturing the main dynamic effects of such pumps have remained scarce. In this contribution, a minimal model taking into account the force effects from line pressure exposure and dead volume compression and expansion is presented. The pump model is autonomous and allows for a simple integration in simulation models for which an example in the form of a non‐smooth hydraulic circuit is given. (© 2016 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)