Work Vans and Heavy-Duty Trucks for Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh Trades

Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham keep adding subdivisions, apartment blocks and warehouse parks, and the trades that serve them keep adding trucks. An HVAC installer, an electrician, a landscaper and a framing crew all need something different from the same lot, and choosing the wrong body costs more than choosing the wrong trim.

Here is how Ram's commercial lineup sorts by the job. Prices are starting MSRP before destination as listed in November 2026, and they change. The ProMaster figures are for the 2026 model year, the ProMaster City is new for 2027, and Ram marks several heavy-duty ratings as preliminary.

Start with the load, not the badge

Three questions narrow the field fast. How heavy is a typical day's load: a toolbox and ladders, or pallets of block? Does the cargo need to stay dry and out of sight, or can it ride in an open bed? And do you tow equipment, such as a skid steer or a trailer-mounted compressor?

Enclosed vans suit tools, parts and anything that must stay locked and out of the rain. Pickups suit crews that tow and haul bulky material. A chassis cab suits businesses that want a purpose-built body, such as a dump, flatbed or service body, mounted by a body builder.

ProMaster: the full-size van

Ram's ProMaster is front-wheel drive with a low load floor, which makes loading shelving and heavy parts less of a lift. The 3.6-liter V6 makes 276 hp, and the lineup includes cargo vans, window vans and cutaways. The Tradesman starts at $44,105 as a cutaway and $46,370 as a cargo van. The SLT cargo van is $52,060 and the SLT+ is $56,060.

Capacity depends heavily on the configuration. Ram lists up to 524 cubic feet in the 3500 extended-length, super high roof van, about 13 feet of cargo length, and a top payload of 4,750 pounds in the 3500 on the 136-inch wheelbase with a low roof. Towing tops out at 7,130 pounds on the 1500 cargo van. Ram publishes no EPA fuel economy rating for the gas ProMaster.

Upfit hooks are a strong point. Ram lists an Upfitter's Prep Package at $495 that adds auxiliary switches and an upfitter electronic module. The Power Group, also $495 on the Tradesman, adds a 115-volt outlet, a 12-volt rear outlet, a 100-amp battery and a 220-amp alternator. A Storage Group for $295 adds a cargo net and a shelf above the roof trim. For crews, the Crew Van Package at $7,435 adds a second-row bench seat.

ProMaster EV for short routes

The ProMaster EV pairs a 110 kWh battery with a 268-hp motor. Ram quotes up to 164 miles of combined range and up to 3,170 pounds of payload for the cargo van, which comes as a 3500 on the 159-inch wheelbase with high, super high and extended super high roofs. Ram's towing chart gives no trailer rating for it.

That profile fits a van that returns to the same yard every night, such as a parts runner or a service route inside the Atlanta perimeter. The range figure is a combined number, and the Southeast's summer heat and constant air conditioning will draw on it, so run your own longest route before committing. It is not the pick for a crew that drives to job sites across the metro and beyond.

ProMaster City: the small van that fits the garage

The all-new 2027 ProMaster City is a midsize van with a 166-hp turbo four and front-wheel drive. The Tradesman Cargo starts at $37,400, the SLT Cargo at $38,900, and the five- or eight-seat Passenger Wagon at $40,100 or $41,600. Ram targets 2,200 pounds of payload and about 2,000 pounds of towing, both preliminary. Cargo space is more than 167 cubic feet.

The standout trait is height. At just under 77 inches, it clears most garages and parking structures, which matters for installers working in downtown Charlotte or Raleigh buildings with height limits. The rear step-in height is just over 23 inches. Ram expects dealer arrivals in the first quarter of 2027, and says some upfitting happens at the Baltimore Transformation Center.

Ram 2500, 3500 and Chassis Cab

The Ram 2500 Tradesman starts at $48,040 as a Regular Cab and $51,660 as a Crew Cab. Both pickups are powered by a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 with a 6.7-liter Cummins diesel optional. The 2500 tows up to 17,740 pounds with the HEMI and 20,000 with the diesel, and carries up to 4,580 pounds with the $835 Payload Upgrade Package. The 3500 Tradesman starts at $49,340 and carries up to 7,580 pounds with the HEMI, with up to 37,020 pounds of towing on the diesel.

Fleet extras are practical. The Commercial Features Package, $495 on the Tradesman, adds a 400-watt inverter, an exterior 115-volt outlet and front and rear park assist. The Bed Utility Group at $895 adds LED bed lighting, a deployable bed step and a spray-in bedliner.

For a custom body, the Chassis Cab starts at $49,170 for the 3500 Tradesman, $56,420 for the 4500 and $57,620 for the 5500. Payload runs up to 12,370 pounds on the 5500 with the HEMI. The Tradesman Level 2 group, at $2,945, adds dual-zone automatic climate control and a 400-watt inverter.

At a glance

Model	Starting MSRP	Max payload	Max towing	Cargo space
ProMaster cargo van (2026)	$46,370	4,750 lbs	7,130 lbs	Up to 524 cu ft
ProMaster City Tradesman Cargo	$37,400	2,200 lbs (target)	About 2,000 lbs (target)	More than 167 cu ft
Ram 2500 Tradesman	$48,040	4,580 lbs	20,000 lbs (diesel)	8 ft bed (Regular Cab)
Ram 3500 Tradesman	$49,340	7,580 lbs	37,020 lbs (diesel)	8 ft bed (Regular Cab)
Chassis Cab 3500 Tradesman	$49,170	7,710 lbs (HEMI)	25,680 lbs (diesel)	Upfitter-supplied body

Matching the truck to the trade

Interior trades in dense areas lean toward the City or a standard ProMaster. Site crews that haul and tow lean toward the 2500 or 3500. Businesses with a dump or service body in mind should talk to a body builder before they pick a chassis, since the finished payload depends on what is bolted on.

Whatever you choose, ask about the cab's air conditioning and about load-area ventilation for a summer parking lot, and check the official GVWR and licensing rules in your state before you finalize a configuration.