Although embracing minimalism is at the core of van life, it’s fair to ask the question: what is the largest cargo van?
When shopping for a cargo van to convert into a camper, use the wheelbase measurement to estimate the amount of livable cargo volume. The wheelbase, commonly abbreviated WB, is simply the distance between the front and rear wheel axle. In general, a longer wheelbase will yield more space.
Ultimately though, the interior length, width, and height of the van will tell you how much livable space you’ll have. Even still, the interior width and interior height of the cargo van are just estimates because obstructions, such as the wheel well, interfere with the cargo space being a true rectangular box.
So whether you’re a tall human being or you want to fit two beds, a stove, and a shower in your converted cargo van, here are the top 3 largest cargo vans with the most livable cargo space available.
1. Dodge Ram ProMaster Cargo Van
Cost: Starting at $29,995
Dodge manufactures four different sizes of the Ram ProMaster cargo vans. The shortest Dodge Ram ProMaster van has a wheelbase of 118 inches while the longest has a 159 inch wheelbase. The Ram ProMaster 3500 Cargo High Roof 159 Wheelbase Extended is the largest cargo van from Dodge with 462.8 cubic feet of cargo space.
| Roof | Wheel Base | Length | Width | Height | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 118 in | 105.1 in | 75.6 in | 65.4 in | 259.2 cu ft |
| High | 136 in | 122.8 in | 75.6 in | 76.0 in | 352.9 cu ft |
| High | 159 in | 145.9 in | 75.6 in | 76.0 in | 420.2 cu ft |
| High Extended | 159 in | 160.2 in | 75.6 in | 76.0 in | 462.8 cu ft |
2. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cargo Van
Cost: Starting at $38,420
Mercedes-Benz manufactures four different sizes of the Sprinter cargo van. The shortest Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van has a wheelbase of 144.3 inches while the longest has a 170 inch wheelbase. The Sprinter 2500 High Roof 170 Extended Wheelbase is the largest cargo van from Mercedes-Benz with 530 cubic feet of cargo space.
| Roof | Wheel Base | Length | Width | Height | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 144.3 in | 137.4 in | 70.1 in | 66.5 in | 319.1 cu ft |
| High | 144.3 in | 137.4 in | 70.1 in | 77.8 in | 373.7 cu ft |
| High | 170 in | 178.2 in | 70.1 in | 77.8 in | 486.5 cu ft |
| High Extended | 170 in | 193.9 in | 70.1 in | 77.8 in | 530.0 cu ft |
3. Ford Transit Cargo Van
Cost: Starting at $32,380
Ford manufactures six different sizes of the Transit cargo van. The shortest Ford Transit van has a wheelbase of 129.9 inches while the longest has a 147.6 inch wheelbase. The Ford Transit High Roof Extended is the largest cargo van from Ford with 487.2 cubic feet of cargo space.
| Roof | Wheel Base | Length | Width | Height | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 129.9 in | 126.0 in | 70.2 in | 56.9 in | 246.7 cu ft |
| Medium | 129.9 in | 126.0 in | 70.2 in | 72.0 in | 315.2 cu ft |
| Low | 147.6 in | 143.7 in | 70.2 in | 56.9 in | 277.7 cu ft |
| Medium | 147.6 in | 143.7 in | 70.2 in | 72.0 in | 357.1 cu ft |
| High | 147.6 in | 143.7 in | 70.2 in | 81.5 in | 404.3 cu ft |
| High Extended | 147.6 in | 172.2 in | 70.2 in | 81.5 in | 487.2 cu ft |
What Is the Largest Cargo Van?
The largest cargo van is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 High Roof 170 Extended Wheelbase. The interior cargo dimension are 16′ 1.9″ long by 5′ 10.1″ wide by 6′ 5.8″ high (193.9″ x 70.1″ x 77.8″). As a result, this van has a whopping 530 cubic feet of livable cargo space
Thanks to its impressively long interior and above average height, the cargo volume of the Sprinter 2500 High Roof 170 Extended is huge. This is the only cargo van available with over 500 cubic feet of cargo space.
What Is the Tallest Cargo Van?
The tallest cargo van is the Ford Transit High Roof. There are two Transit models with a high roof: the Ford Transit High Roof and Ford Transit High Roof Extended. The interior cargo height for both high roof models is a towering 81.5 inches (6 feet 9.5 inches).
If you’re shorter than 6 feet 4 inches, the high roof models of the Ram ProMaster (6′ 4″) and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (6′ 5.8″) should suit your needs. But for you giants out there, a Ford Transit High Roof cargo van is your best bet if you want to stand up inside your converted camper van.
What Is the Longest Cargo Van?
The longest cargo van is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 High Roof 170 Extended Wheelbase. The interior cargo length of this van is an impressive 193.9 inches (16 feet 1.9 inches).
The second longest cargo van is actually the non-extended version of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. This is just 1 foot 3.7 inches shorter.
What Is the Widest Cargo Van?
The widest cargo van is the Dodge Ram ProMaster. All ProMaster models measure in at 6 feet 3.6 inches (75.6″) wide.
If your cargo van bed plans have you sleeping widthwise, the Dodge Ram ProMaster is your best bet. When considering the curvature of the van walls and added insulation, the Dodge Ram ProMaster can sleep a relatively tall person with their head and feet at opposite sides of the van.
All Transit and Sprinter models are only 70.2″ and 70.1″ wide respectively. Therefore, unless you’re shorter than 5 feet 10 inches, you won’t be able to sleep widthwise in these cargo vans.
Sleeping in Vehicles
Although I don’t have a camper van of my own, I have slept in my fair share of four-wheeled motor vehicles. From sleeping in cars to vans to trucks, check out some of my YouTube videos on this topic.
Great information! Thx so much.
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you found this post useful 🙂
Excellent information… thank you!
Very useful, thanks!
Thanks a bunch Tony!
Looks like the Promaster may be the right choice for me given I’m 6’2″ and would like to to be able to stand up inside without slouching and sleep widthwise.
Not sure why your data seems different than what I’ve found at:
https://sportsmobile.com/van-dimensions/
Maybe it’s a matter of which model year or something.
Thanks again!
Happy to help Joe! For what it’s worth, I got all of my data directly from the manufacturers’ websites.
The Promaster does seem like a good choice for you. What kind of conversion are you planning on doing to your van?
Thank you, Tony! Best of luck to you!
Thank you and best of luck to you too!
Tq
any idea about electric Vans
Sorry, I’m not familiar with electric vans. Have you done any research into this yet?
Great information! Im 6’5″ and wanting to live in a van so this article was amazing. Thanks again!
So glad I could help you Chris!
Tony…Sorry for the delay in responding! Must not have signed up to receive notifications or something.
I’m not sure which make or model I’m likely to go with. I was thinking of getting a Box Truck that would make things easier as far as height and room concerns go while recognizing I’d be taking a hit on the fuel efficiency end of things.
Not likely to make a move very soon so chances are good I’ll be vacillating between options. Thanks again!
Joe
Tony,
This was a very helpful post. And I enjoyed your story very much.
Thanks for stopping by Anne and taking the time to read my story!
Thanks for a wealth of data in one place; the research rabbit hole can be exhausting. Much appreciated, both by me and my 6’6″ bf who’s NOT trying to fold himself up to live my wanderlust dream. You should see the looks I get: “you want me to fit into what & go where with you, crazy?” Lol!
Tony – Thanks for the great info but I still have a question. When you say the Mercedes Extended has 16′ of interior space, is that from the dash to the back or from behind the driver’s seat to the back. Appreciate any info you can provide.
Hi Ellen. The interior cargo bed measurement is from behind the seats all the way to the back door. A visual of this can be seen in this spec sheet from Mercedes https://tonyflorida.com/2018-mercedes-benz-sprinter-cargo-van-spec-sheet/
Wait – how do wheelbases exceed lengths on Ram & Sprinter? Transit seems to be the right way around (though I’d argue that despite engineering efforts corners of the body are more than 3-4 inches beyond wheelbase given actual wheels, tires & fenders).
Hi Bob. The length, width, and height measurements in the above tables are for interior cargo dimensions. Think of this as the distance from behind the driver’s seat to the back door in the case of length.
But you’re right, if this was a length measurement from bumper to bumper, that’d be impossible 🙂
Thanks for the information my spouse and I are planning to get one and do the interior ourselves. He is tall. So l8ce you did tables work with all measurement. Will be very useful.
Fantastic, enjoy it you two!
I was lucky to find your site! Getting this information from the manufacturers was quite difficult, particularly with the ridiculous popups and overlays that marketing-types believe is “helpful” these days. 🙂 I would love to see you add some info about transmission and engine types, but regardless, I have bookmarked your site as my go-to reference. Thanks again.
Thank you this is very helpful
When are Sprinter and Transit going to get a clue and make an interior width of at least 75″?
When are Sprinter and Transit going to get a clue and make an interior width of at least 75″?
Exactly. 84″ would be perfect
Thanks for the hard to find info.
Hey Tony! This is all great info. My partner and I are trying to find a used van to convert and were wondering if you had any suggestions for places to look online or marketplaces where we could find some high roof vans for sale. Thank you!
Thanks for all your research!
Two questions:
Why do you suppose none of the cargo vans have slideout options?
Have you similar research results for cargo van average gas mileage?
Again, thank you.