Ford says that the first European customer trials of the new E-Transit, the all-electric version of the iconic cargo van, will soon be underway. Prototype E-Transit vehicles will be joining customer fleets to operate in real-world conditions with major businesses in the supermarket, home delivery, postal services and utilities sectors across Germany, Norway and the UK.
“Real-world trials are an important step on our journey to deliver the all-electric E‑Transit and will give us an even better understanding of how to help customers across different industries enhance their productivity using zero-emission power,” explained Andrew Mottram, E-Transit chief program engineer, commercial vehicles, Ford of Europe.
The E-Transit’s all-electric powertrain delivers up to 200kW of power for a targeted WLTP range of up to 349km, supported by range-boosting technologies including Eco Mode and Scheduled Pre-Conditioning. The Ford Pro Power Onboard system delivers up to 2.3kW through standard plugs to power conversions and equipment in the cab and load area. Anticipated payload is up to 1,616kg for vans and up to 1,967kg for chassis cab models. The load area is common with current diesel-powered Transit models for ease of conversion, and to allow Transit operators to reuse existing racking with the all-electric van.
Ford’s European customer trials form part of an extensive development program for the vehicle ahead of its launch in spring 2022. Beginning late summer this year, Ford says the trials have been designed to confirm that the all-electric van can comfortably meet the demands of a wide range of operating scenarios. The company’s engineers will use data from the trials to help refine E‑Transit’s next-level connected vehicle technology and range management features to offer an optimized operating experience for customers.
Prototype vehicles taking part in the trial – assembled at Ford’s global commercial vehicle center of excellence in Dunton, UK – will include E-Transit van and chassis cab variants with conversions including refrigerated bodies, box vans, drop sides and interior racking. European E-Transit customers will be offered a choice of body, length, roof height and gross vehicle mass options from launch, giving 25 possible variants to suit a wide range of businesses.