Chevrolet City Express Powers Small Business

Small businesses across the country are beginning to add Chevrolet’s all-new 2015 City Express cargo van to their fleets.

According to the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, U.S. small businesses account for 99.7 percent of employer firms. According to IHS Automotive, total small business registrations have increased each year since 2009 with a cumulative 41 percent increase when comparing 2009 to 2013. 

“Small businesses constitute key innovators in the U.S. economy,” said Peter Adriaens, professor of entrepreneurship at U of M’s Ross School of Business. “With 28 million small businesses already active in the United States, of which 98 percent export goods, there is a ripe market to be had for a product like this.”

With an EPA-estimated 24 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, as well as 122.7 cubic feet of customizable cargo space, the City Express was designed to capably provide products and services without fear of breaking the bank or running out of space.

“Small business is an important segment of growth for fleet vehicles,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, GM Fleet and Commercial. “The City Express gives these hard-working entrepreneurs one less thing to worry about when it comes to boosting their business.”

In Des Moines, Iowa, Smokey D’s BBQ, a company that started in a trailer in a driveway and has grown to three area locations, recently took delivery of four City Expresses to keep up with demand for its award-winning product.

“We need a nimble vehicle to deliver our BBQ catering to our customers in a timely manner,” said Darren Warth, owner, Smokey D’s BBQ. “The City Express allows us to retain a smaller physical footprint while still giving us the cargo space we need to keep our customers happy.”

Vital Media Security, a Dallas-based company that couriers sensitive data to offsite locations, recently added two Chevrolet City Expresses to its fleet and has ordered three more.

“The Chevrolet City Express is the perfect representation of our company as it shows our customers that we can do more with less,” said Vital Media Security President and CEO Jerry Judkins. “With great fuel economy and right-sized cargo room, it fits perfectly into our business.”

Locally, Kupper Chevrolet sold its first 2015 City Express to Basin Electric Power Cooperative. 

Chevrolet Announces 2015 City Express Pricing

The 2015 Chevrolet City Express LS – the brand’s first entry in the small cargo van segment – will have a starting price of $22,950, including a $995 destination charge but excluding tax, title, license and dealer fees.

The City Express features a standard 2.0L dual-overhead cam inline-four-cylinder engine with continuously variable valve timing rated at 131 horsepower and 139 lb-ft of torque. It has 122.7 cubic feet of customizable cargo space, a tight turning diameter of 36.7 feet and an estimated payload capacity of 1,500 pounds.

“The Chevrolet City Express offers business customers the functionality and dependability they need to get the job done and the long-term customer service and support from Chevrolet they’ve come to expect,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, GM Fleet & Commercial.

Standard features on the LS model include dual rear sliding doors, power windows, 40/60 split rear cargo doors that open 90 and 180 degrees, solid rear doors with available tinted-glass windows, center console storage with a standard file folder bin, fold-down mobile workspace passenger seat, 20 interior cargo-mounting points, six floor-mounted D-rings, six exterior roof rack mounting points, vinyl flooring, a 150-amp alternator and a 12-volt power outlet.

The 2015 Chevrolet City Express LT starts at $24,510, including destination charges but excluding tax, title, license and dealer fees. Standard features on the LT model, and available on the LS, include cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and backup sensors. Remote keyless entry with an automatic locking feature and heated, power-adjustable outside mirrors also are standard on the LT.

Available on LT models is a technology package with a 5.8-inch diagonal touch-screen radio, navigation, Sirius/XM Satellite Radio with a three-month trial, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB input jack and a rearview camera system.

The City Express will arrive at Chevrolet dealers early in the fourth quarter. 

More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.