It might look elderly and staid, altogether unfit for 21st-century sensibilities, but the 2015 Chevrolet Express Cargo full-size van totes a lot of stuff and doesn’t break a sweat. Boasting a standard V8 engine for the upcoming model year, along with the traditional cavernous cargo area as well as a history of reliability, this 2-seat, 4-door heavy-hauler is all about work, thus it retains its bare-bones design for not only the upcoming year, but for the foreseeable future. As well, this brute is now the proud papa to Chevy’s debuting City Express miniaturized van. That’s right, the bowtie brand now offers a direct competitor not only to Ford’s E-Series vans, but to its popular Transit Connect mini-hauler lineup, as well.

There has been one significant change noted in this seemingly unchanging Chevy van: The half-ton 1500 versions have been dropped, leaving the three-quarter-ton 2500 and the one-ton 3500 as the sole representatives of this proud lineup. As a result of losing the 1500 trim, all-wheel-drive (AWD) and a fuel-efficient, if not especially peppy V6 powerplant are no longer available, so owners/drivers must content themselves with rear-wheel drive (RWD) and a selection of less fuel-miserly though certainly more powerful V8 engines including, of course, a turbodiesel V8. And this capable cargo carrier again comes in regular-length and extended-length variations, with a total of 270.4 cubic feet and 313.9 cubes of cargo space, respectively. Regular-length versions stand at 224.1 inches in overall length with a 135-inch wheelbase, while the extended-length iterations measure 244.1 inches in overall length with a 155-inch wheelbase.

Powerwise, the standard engine in both the 2500 and 3500 Express Cargo variants is a 4.8-liter V8 that again comes managed by a competent 6-speed automatic transmission. Look, once again, for 285 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque out of this base V8.

Available to each trim for the upcoming model year, meantime, is a 6.0-liter V8 powerplant that again mates with the 6-speed automatic for 342 hp and 373 lb-ft of torque. Oh, and this big gasoline-powered V8 can be tweaked to burn compressed natural gas (CNG), producing 282 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque.

Finally, a 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 is available to extended-length editions of the Express Cargo and remains managed by the ubiquitous 6-speed automatic to put out 260 hp and a whopping 525 lb-ft of torque to remain ready to haul up to 10,000 pounds of trailer when properly equipped. Mileage figures for this stable of V8 powerplants, by the way, are unavailable, since the EPA declines to rate vehicles over 6,000 pounds.

With no further noteworthy changes due to this year’s Express Cargo stable, look for this amply unadorned workaholic to return sporting 16-inch steel wheels, swing-out passenger-side and rear cargo doors, vinyl upholstery, a trip computer, power door locks and manual air conditioning.

If, however, a few added accoutrements are desired, options like 17-inch wheels, a cornucopia of door and window combinations (including sliding side doors), rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, GPS navigation, cloth upholstery, a towing package and a power-adjustable driver’s seat are available to each trim. Remote engine start, Bluetooth hands-free calling, cruise control and tilt-wheel steering are also offered as optional equipment, while an available 2-speaker AM/FM stereo can be further upgraded with a single-CD player, satellite radio and a USB port.

Standard safety features returning to the 2015 Express Cargo lineup include 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), traction and stability control, daytime running lights and dusk-sensing headlights.