Zipcar Inc. announced Aug. 21 plans to expand the company's Zipvan cargo van service across North America.

Zipcar is launching the Zipvan service in Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Portland, Ore. effective immediately, and will roll out the service to its remaining metro markets in North America over the next 12 months.

Zipvan started in London and today accounts for more than 10% of Zipcar's UK operation. The service was expanded to North America as a pilot program in November 2011, and has been well received by Zipcar members in the pilot markets of San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Boston and Washington, D.C., with more than 12,000 Zipvan trips taken to date, the company reports.

Through the Zipvan service, Zipcar offers Ford E-150 full-size cargo vans with up-front seats and more than 230 cubic feet of cargo space, which allows members to transport items too bulky for ordinary vehicles. The vans are available for hourly or daily use, and rates include gas, insurance, roadside assistance and up to 180 miles of driving per day.

For more information, visit www.zipvan.com.