Which is the Best Work Van for HVAC? 5 Tops Vehicles & Tips

Why are Work Vans Important for HVAC Contractors?

Work vans are important for HVAC contractors because they help them do their jobs quickly and effectively. By providing a comfortable commute between jobs and hauling all necessary equipment, work vans help HVAC contractors achieve higher productivity and customer satisfaction. 

Here are the key reasons for choosing the right HVAC work van for your business:

• Reliability: HVAC work vans provide reliable transportation for employees and equipment. This ensures that contractors can consistently be on time when arriving at their customers' residences or businesses. As long as you carry out prompt and periodic maintenance service on your HVAC work fan, it will last for years while handling the demands you put on it.

• Space: A full-size cargo van has an average cargo hold space of about 160 cubic feet. This provides convenient storage space for the necessary equipment, tools, and supplies to fulfill your daily HVAC jobs. In addition, cargo vans have comfortable seating for the driver and passengers, similar to what you’d get in an SUV.

• Customization: A cargo van's size allows you to customize its interior and exterior to suit your specific needs. You can install extra features—such as shelves, racks, or equipment-specific fittings—to make the van setup as practical as you need it to be.

• Branding: A cargo van can be a form of extra advertisement for your business while on the move. You can create and paste a design that includes your HVAC company’s logo, compelling messaging, and contact details on your cargo van, essentially creating a moving billboard. By branding your HVAC cargo van, you expose yourself to more potential customers even as you go about servicing your existing ones.

That said, here is a list of five of the best cargo vans for HVAC companies.

What are the Best Cargo Vans for HVAC Professionals?

Your cargo van can contribute to improved work efficiency and better customer satisfaction. Therefore, it is not a decision you should make lightly. Here are our top recommendations for the best cargo for HVAC service providers:

1. Nissan NV 200

The Nissan NV 200 is easily one of the best cargo vans for HVAC companies with conservative budgets. Almost like a camper van, this model is very economical in terms of its base price and gas mileage. 

With its two-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine, the NV 200 is excellent for breezing through the city to make residential calls.

However, you should also note that the Nissan NV 200 lacks a large cargo space (only 122.7 cubic feet). While it offers some room for tools and equipment, it is typically best for smaller businesses.

If you’re not particular about huge cargo spaces, the NV 200 is a great buy!

Image source: Nissan

MPG: 25

Engine type: Petrol

Best for: Residential service maintenance

Key features:

• Low floor for easy cargo loading.

• Compact structure.

• Tire pressure monitoring system.

• Rear sonar sensors.

Price: $25,855 (discontinued in 2021)

2. Chevrolet Express

Another excellent option for your HVAC service van is the Chevrolet Express. This cargo van has gained a reputation for reliability and low maintenance requirements. Users can choose between two wheelbase options (regular or extended) and two engine types (4.3L V6 and 6.6L V8). 

While you won’t have as much space as a box truck, the Chevy Express offers HVAC contractors relatively large cargo space for work equipment and supplies. With the standard wheelbase, you’ll have up to 239.7 cubic feet of cargo space, while the extended wheelbase offers you up to 313.9 cubic feet.

That said, it is incredibly easy to customize the interior and exterior of the Chevrolet Express to fit your specific HVAC van needs.

Image source: Chevrolet

MPG: 15

Engine type: Petrol

Best for: Residential/commercial service maintenance

Key features:

• Large cargo space.

• Easily customizable.

• 10,000 pounds towing capacity.

• Forward collision alert.

Price: $41,800 (2024 model)

3. Ford Transit

The Ford Transit is a best-selling cargo van, and for good reason. This high-utility vehicle has a 10-speed automatic transmission and a very large cargo space to accommodate your tools, equipment, racks, and whatever else you need to haul to job sites daily.

In addition, the Ford Transit has three roof height options (low, medium, or high) and three body length options (regular, long, long-el). So, depending on the configurations you choose, you’ll have between 246.7 and 487.3 cubic feet of cargo space.

Either way, the high cargo capacity remains one of this commercial van’s most popular features.

Image source: Ford

MPG: 22

Engine type: Petrol

Best for: Commercial installation and maintenance service

Key features:

• Large cargo space.

• 10-speed automatic transmission.

• Traction control.

• Good gas mileage.

Price: $54,365 (2024 model)

4. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

The next entry on our list of the best work vans for HVAC companies is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. While it is one of the more expensive options, this heavy-duty van offers excellent value for money in terms of durability, performance, and cargo space.

In addition to easily handling heavy-duty demands, the Mercedes Sprinter also boasts impressive cargo space (up to 586 cubic feet) that can cater easily to all your equipment and supplies storage needs. You can also customize the interior of this cargo van to make it more practical for your HVAC technicians.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has the option of either a standard low roof or a high roof (that the average person can stand up in) and rear steps for easier cargo-area access, making it one of the more appealing commercial vehicles on the market.

Image source: Mercedes-Benz

MPG: 19

Engine type: Diesel

Best for: Commercial installation and maintenance

Key features:

• Very large cargo space.

• Standard or high roof options.

• Heavy-duty performance.

Price: $50,830 (2024 model)

5. GMC Savana

The GMC Savana is another excellent option to consider when shopping for a work van for your HVAC company. This cargo van offers an eight-speed automatic transmission with powertrain options to ensure competitive payload and towing abilities. 

In addition, the GMC Savana has pretty decent cargo space (up to 283.6 cubic feet), which can conveniently accommodate your HVAC equipment and tool storage needs.

This commercial van also has an impressively large fuel tank capacity, which means you have to take fewer detours to refuel.

Image source: GMC

MPG: 15

Engine type: Petrol

Best for: Residential/commercial service maintenance

Key features:

• Large cargo hold.

• Large fuel tank.

• Competitive ​​payload and towing capabilities.

Price: $44,900 (2024 model) 

How Can You Choose the Best HVAC Work Van for Your Needs?

Now that you know some of the best work vans for HVAC business, let us walk you through choosing the ideal option for your company. 

Here are some factors to consider when choosing an HVAC work van:

• Cargo space and payload capacity: One of the crucial elements to consider when picking an HVAC work van is the size of the cargo space and how much weight the van can carry. You want to ensure the van can conveniently accommodate your HVAC tools and equipment.

• Customization options: In addition to the available cargo space, it is also a good idea to prioritize work vans that allow you to install additional fixtures like shelves and racks to improve organization and work efficiency on job sites.

• Fuel efficiency: Refueling costs can add significant amounts to your operational expenses as you’ll typically be commuting between various customer residences and office buildings. Therefore, choosing an HVAC work van with relatively low fuel consumption is a good idea.

• Durability: Also, choose a van built to withstand the wear and tear of daily HVAC operations, from commuting to hauling additional equipment. By selecting a model with a reputation for reliability, you can minimize downtime and maintenance or repair costs.

That said, keep reading for some tips on organizing your HVAC work van.

How Can You Organize Your HVAC Van?

Your HVAC setup can tremendously impact the speed and efficiency with which your team completes jobs. Naturally, the faster you work, the happier your customers are. So, how can you organize your HVAC van for improved workflow? Here are some tips:

• Establish a company-wide policy: The first step to ensuring your HVAC work vans stay organized is to create a policy regarding it. You need to help your team understand how maintaining an organized work van can boost efficiency and productivity. In addition, it can also help improve your brand image when customers see it.

• Always keep proper inventory: You also need to create a standardized process for keeping your van inventory. This way, your technicians always know what supplies or tools they have, so they don't have to waste time rummaging through the van to see if what they need is available.

• Install modular shelves: Modular shelving is an excellent way to store tools, supplies, and small parts while keeping them organized. In addition, modular shelves are easy to expand or upgrade as your storage needs evolve.

• Leverage paperless software solutions: Without a proper management system, paperwork from invoices and work orders to receipts and to-do lists can quickly clutter your HVAC work van. However, adopting cloud-based field service software like the ServiceTitan Mobile app quickly solves this problem.

The ServiceTitan app helps technicians keep HVAC vans orderly and improves their workflows by securely storing job documentation and reducing clutter. From one central hub, HVAC techs can quickly find the specifics of customer orders, generate invoices, validate payment status, and identify routing details.

This integration can dramatically boost overall productivity and operational management. 

How Can You Manage Your HVAC Vehicle Fleet?

Choosing the right type and model of HVAC work van for your company is only the first step. Next, ensure you get proper value for your van investments. This means effective vehicle fleet management.

The ServiceTitan app can also help you here.

The ServiceTitan app offers real-time GPS tracking, route optimization, and automated alerts, which can help centralize vehicle fleet management and improve overall operational efficiency.

Here are some more ServiceTitan fleet management features:

• Smart routing: ServiceTitan's intelligent routing tracks your HVAC work van locations via GPS devices attached to these vehicles and assigns technicians to customer locations based on proximity. This ensures the most effective use of your team’s time and vehicles.

• Geofencing: The ServiceTitan app also allows you to create custom geofences around any service location, office, or prohibited area and receive alerts for any vehicle activity.

• Real-time event alerts: You can also receive notifications by email, text, or in-app for events such as unsafe driving, vehicle issues, or deviations from established routes.

• Autocorrect timesheets: The ServiceTitan app can also automatically flag discrepancies between GPS data and technician timesheets, helping you identify dishonesty while saving time otherwise spent on manual comparison.

With ServiceTitan, you can maximize the efficiency of your HVAC work van fleet and field teams while improving customer satisfaction with prompt arrivals.

Over to You

Choosing the best work van for your HVAC operations is a decision that can significantly impact your efficiency, productivity, and profits. As a result, it is not a decision you should take lightly. 

With the insights we’ve shared into top vehicle options like the Nissan NV 200, Ford Transit, and others, along with tips for selecting and organizing your van, you should now be able to make an informed choice. 

Remember, the perfect van isn’t just about size or brand. Instead, you should focus on how well it supports your workflow and meets your unique business needs. 

ServiceTitan is a powerful, all-in-one software solution designed to help HVAC companies improve their operations and boost their bottom line. With its intuitive dashboards, job scheduling capabilities, and invoicing features, HVAC teams can stay organized and focus on delivering exceptional service.