Ford’s new E-Transit here in ‘22

Ford, which has been making Transit family vehicles for 55 years and commercial vehicles since 1905, has just introduced the new E-Transit van that offers customers enhanced productivity enabled by its fully electric powertrain, software solutions, services and Pro Power Onboard options. It is due to arrive in Europe in Spring, 2022.

Designed with no compromise to its cargo volume capacity, the E-Transit’s battery is located underneath the body, providing up to 15.1 cubic meters of cargo space,the same as a rear-wheel drive diesel Transit.

Customers can choose from one of 25 E-Transit configurations, with van, double-cab-in-van and chassis cab body styles, multiple length and roof-height options, and a range of gross vehicle mass options up to 4.25 tonnes, to support a wide variety of customer needs.

E-Transit for customers in Europe targets up to 1,616 kg payload for the van and up to 1,967 kg for the chassis cab models.The vehicle’s electric motor has a peak output of 198 kW (269 PS) and 430 Nm of torque. The rear-wheel drive layout ensures outstanding traction when the vehicle is heavily laden.

The company will build E‑Transits for European customers at the Ford Otosan Kocaeli plant in Turkey on a dedicated line alongside the Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid.

Driving to go greener

E-Transit will arrive with European customers in early 2022. It is part of Ford’s more than $11.5 billion global investment in electrification through 2022. The all-new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E will be in European dealerships from early next year.

Range, charging solutions

With a usable battery capacity of 67 kWh, E-Transit offers an estimated driving range of up to 350 km on the combined WLTP cycle,providing enough range to meet daily requirements, but with sufficient additional capacity to account for variations in vehicle load and weather conditions.

This makes E-Transit ideal for urban environments, fixed drive routes and deliveries within geofenced zero-emission driving zones, without requiring fleet owners to pay for excess battery capacity they don’t need.

E-Transit’s comes with drive modes, which are tailored to its electric powertrain. A special Eco Mode aims to provide up to an 8-10 per cent improvement in energy usage if E-Transit is driven unladen with spirited acceleration or at highway speeds, according to Ford data. Eco Mode limits top speed, regulates acceleration and optimises climate control to help maximise the available driving range. 

The vehicle also supports Scheduled Pre-Conditioning, enabling the climate control system to be programmed to adjust the cabin to the preferred temperature while the vehicle is still on charge, ensuring that the maximum driving range is available.

E-Transit can reduce service cost of ownership by approximately 40 per cent compared with internal combustion engine-equipped models, as a result of lower maintenance expenses. 

European customers will benefit from a one-year, unlimited mileage service offering that sits alongside the eight-year, 160,000 km warranty package for the battery and high-voltage electric components.

Charging Solutions

Ford also will offer a variety of charging solutions to fit fleet and driver needs, at home, at a place of business or on the road. E-Transit features both AC charging and DC fast-charging. The vehicle’s 11.3 kW on-board charger is capable of delivering a 100 per cent charge in up to 8.2 hours.Charging with up to 115 kW using a high-power DC fast-charger, E‑Transit can top-up the battery from 15 per cent to 80 per cent in around 34 minutes.

More power, connectivity on the go

E-Transit features optional Pro Power Onboard, which enables European customers to transform the vehicle into a mobile power source, providing up to 2.3 kW for powering tools and equipment on the jobsite and on the go.

The standard FordPass Connect modemdelivers connectivity to help commercial vehicle customers manage and optimise fleet efficiency, with a range of dedicated electric vehicle services available through the Ford Telematics fleet solution.

E-Transit also comes with SYNC 4 communications and entertainment technology, featuring a standard 12-inch touchscreen, plus enhanced voice recognition and available cloud-enhanced navigation. With SYNC over-the-air updates, E‑Transit’s software and SYNC technology will benefit from the latest new features and quality enhancements.

On the road with navigation enabled, fleet operators can benefit from advanced driver assistance technologies including Traffic Sign Recognition and Intelligent Speed Assist,which together identify speed restrictions and allow fleet managers to set vehicle speed limits.

E-Transit will also feature an array of available technologies designed to help fleet customers reduce driver-based insurance claims, including,

·         Pre-Collision Assist

·         Blind Spot Information System

·         Lane Change Warning & Aid

·         360-degree camera

·         Reverse Brake Assist

·         Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control 

Following the successful city partnerships featuring the Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid, Ford will be undertaking extensive customer fleet trials with E-Transit in key European markets, starting during 2021.