Zipcar expanded its “Zipvan” pilot program — the cargo portion of its fleet — to Chicago, making available the Ford E-150 full-size cargo vans to members.

Fifteen vans will be available at nine different Zipcar locations throughout Chicago including the Zipcar pods in Lakeview, Wrigleyville, West Loop, Chinatown and the South Loop.

Starting at $15.75 per hour and $109 per day — including gas, parking, insurance and roadside assistance — the vans will be available to customers for hourly and daily use. Small businesses and nonprofits will be able to take advantage of the low rates to reduce their costs in transporting materials.

Each cargo van includes two front seats and more than 230 cubic feet of cargo space — equivalent to that of a queen-size mattress.

“The new on-demand cargo vans will be a welcome addition to the variety of pick-up trucks and SUVs we already offer as part of the Zipcar Chicago fleet, and should come in handy for city residents planning to move apartments or for local businesses that need to move large or bulky items, or transport goods and supplies,” said Charles Stephens, general manager of Zipcar Chicago.

After first launching in San Francisco, the van-sharing service has also been expanded to Boston and Washington, D.C. Click here to read more.