Shopping for your next electrician van or exploring what an upgrade for your current rig might look like? This year has brought a fine array of brand-new cargo vehicles, perfect for the high-quality professional bringing their expertise to their clients’ homes or businesses. Whether you’re planning to upfit your new Ford Transit with electrician van shelving to optimize your workflow or thinking about adding a GMC Savana to your lineup, the Jim Ellis Commercial team can give you tips that shorten your shopping trip and get you back to work.
Below, we’ll go over what to look for in your next electrician van, storage ideas to make the most of your upfit, and the four vehicles in our inventory made to assist pros like you.
A good cargo van for electricians is spacious yet reliable, but a great van requires some specific qualities to make things work. For example:
For a healthy mix of maneuverability, covered storage space, and affordability, you should tour our selection of cargo vans. These vehicles are made for the working person, supporting thousands of pounds in the chassis while remaining versatile for city or suburban driving.
Here, we go into detail about the four vans we’re likely to point you to whenever you visit our Jim Ellis Commercial storefront.
| Ford Transit | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | GMC Savana | Chevy Express | |
| Engines |
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| Best Horsepower | 310 | 295 | 401 | 401 |
| Best Torque | 400 lb-ft | 332 lb-ft | 464 lb-ft | 464 lb-ft |
| Wheelbase Options |
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| Towing Capacity | 7,500 lbs1 | 7,500 lbs2 | 10,000 lbs3 | 9,600 lbs4 |
| Max Payload | 5,110 lbs5 | 6,812 lbs | 4,280 lbs6 | 4,280 lbs7 |
| Shelving / Storage | Ford Pro Upfitted Cargo Shelves | eXpertUpfitter Specialized Electrician Package | GM Upfitter | GM Upfitter |
| Seating Capacity | 2 | 2-3 | 2 | 2 |
| Roof Heights |
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98 – 111 in | 84.3 – 84.8 in | 84.25 – 84.75 in |
| Door Configurations |
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| Price | Middle | Higher | Lower | Lower |
The Ford Transit is a simple, straightforward, and very capable cargo van designed for the hard-working individual. With a wheelbase of 130 or 148 inches, a maximum payload of 5,110 pounds,5 and up to 536.4 cubic feet of cargo space in a large, customizable interior, the Ford Transit provides the space needed for partners to store their inventory and finish any job.
The Ford Pro uplifting service does not have specific configurations for electricians. Instead, they have upfitted cargo shelves, creating a stratified structure for you to organize your tools. If you need van racking ideas, Transit upfitting packages are an excellent place to start.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter sits as a titan of overall carrying capacity and luxury. Thanks to its available 170-inch wheelbase, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter can haul up to 6,812 pounds in a spacious cargo bay. With up to 533 cubic feet of cargo space on specific models, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter uses your choice of standard or high-output 2.0-liter turbo diesel four-cylinder engines to create a smooth liftoff and exceptional experience.
The official eXpertUpfitter service provides a specialized electrician package for your Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, sporting a strong, protective barrier to keep you safe from the more dangerous tools at your disposal and easy-to-maintain storage options for your supplies.
For the electrician looking for slightly less space than the Transit or Sprinter, the GMC Savana could be the perfect choice for you. A 4.3-liter V-6 or a 6.6-liter V-8 takes your vehicle from a standstill to a roaring start with up to 464 pound-feet of torque. This van has between 239.4 and 283.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity. With two wheelbase lengths to choose from, the GMC Savana is an excellent option for the electrician who needs to be able to tow up to 10,000 pounds, an extra 2,500 pounds compared to the two previous vehicles.1, 2, 3
GM Upfitter and similar services make the best use of this cargo space to make the perfect design for city-dwelling electricians. With 283.6 cubic feet of space to work with, you can select the spaces for your shelves and storage, as well as properly insulate your interior to keep you safe on the road.
The Chevrolet Express has a size, shape, and specs similar to those of the GMC Savana, but with iconic Chevy styling. For example, you can paint the exterior in Red Hot or Silver Hot Metallic to pull attention to your van. Synergize this exemplary exterior with the same 6.6-liter V-8 as the GMC Savana for up to 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of towing capacity. However, minor differences in height and features give the Chevy Express slightly less towing capacity than the GMC Savana.
GM Upfitter offers a specialized Electrician setup for the Chevy Express, featuring an easy-to-organize selection of shelves with several buckets of supplies. Utilize the smaller buckets to hold specific wire strippers, multi-meters, tape, or voltage testers. The larger buckets in your Chevy electrician van are perfect for screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, or first aid kits.
Now that you’ve seen the array of electrician van options we recommend for our customers, which one is best for your needs? All four of these vans create a pristine interior for your professional requirements, but here are a few tips to help you choose.
No matter your choice, you’ll find any of these four electrician van options to be a valuable member of your team, carrying your tools while keeping your ride experience smooth and safe.
Now that you have your electrician van, you might be wondering, “How do you pack a van efficiently?” Here are a few ways our customers keep their tools in the correct spots.
Once you have the cargo van as part of your fleet, you’ll be able to personalize it to your specialization and workflow. Talk with our representatives to learn more about how you can customize your van to your needs, including more van racking ideas for electricians.
Whether you want the spacious interior of the Ford Transit or the incredible power under the hood of the GMC Savana, these vehicles can supplement any electrician company. Custom order your cargo van and see what upfitting options you have available. Our service lines make it easy to order your vehicle and get on the road in an adaptable model that fits your business needs.
Once you build out your cargo van, our financing desk is the next step. Our team works with you to fit your van into your fleet or business with practiced simplicity. At our desk, you can sign up for telemetrics from Ford, GMC, or Mercedes-Benz programs. We can also talk about the warranty selection for your van, walking you through the comprehensive coverage with the limited warranty or the more detailed and long-lasting plans available for your business.
We at Jim Ellis Commercial have helped professionals like you get back on the road in high-quality commercial models for over 50 years. We look forward to bringing you the same level of integrity and honesty we’ve practiced for our storied history.
1When properly equipped. See dealer for details.
2With optional trailer hitch. Read Operator’s Manual before towing. In some states, aftermarket trailer brakes are required. See dealer for details.
3GM-estimated. Maximum trailering ratings are intended for comparison purposes only. Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The trailering capacity of your specific vehicle may vary. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can trailer.
4Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the Trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can tow.
5Maximum payload capabilities are for properly equipped vehicles with required equipment and vary based on vehicle configuration, accessories, and option content. Horsepower, torque, payload and towing are independent attributes and may not be achieved simultaneously.
6These maximum payload ratings are intended for comparison purposes only. Before you buy a vehicle or use it to haul people or cargo, carefully review the vehicle loading section of the Owner’s Manual and check the carrying capacity of your specific vehicle on the label on the inside of the driver’s door jamb.
7For comparison purposes only. See the Owner’s Manual and the label on the vehicle door jamb for the carrying capacity of a specific vehicle.
