Ford Announces European Customer Trials Programme for the New All-Electric E-Transit Van

May 6, 2021 by Ford

•All-electric Ford E-Transit van and converted chassis cab models to begin trials with last-mile and supermarket delivery operators as well as utilities providers

•Real-world testing of prototypes assembled at Ford's global commercial vehicle centre of excellence will help Ford further improve customers' experience of E-Transit operation

•E-Transit's all-electric powertrain helps customers reduce their emissions, while lower operating costs and next-generation connectivity improve productivity

The first European customer trials of the new E-Transit – the all-electric version of the world's best-selling cargo van – will soon be underway, Ford today announced.

Prototype E-Transit vehicles will be joining customer fleets to operate in challenging 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,' said Andrew Mottram, E-Transit chief programme engineer, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe.

Ford's European customer trials form part of an extensive development programme for E-Transit ahead of its launch in spring 2022. Beginning late summer this year, they have been designed to confirm that the all-electric van can comfortably meet the demands of a wide range of operating scenarios.

Ford 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 optimised operating experience for customers.

Prototype vehicles taking part in the trial – assembled at Ford's global commercial vehicle centre of excellence in Dunton, UK – will include E-Transit van and chassis cab variants with conversions including refrigerated bodies, box vans, dropsides and interior racking. European E-Transit customers will be offered a generous choice of body, length, roof height and Gross Vehicle Mass options from launch, giving 25 possible variants to suit a wide range of businesses.

E-Transit's load area is common with diesel-powered Transit models for ease of conversion, and to allow Transit operators to reuse existing racking with the all-electric van. An industry-first ProPower Onboard system delivers up to 2.3kW through standard plugs to power conversions and equipment in the cab and load area. 1 Anticipated payload is up to 1,616kg for vans and up to 1,967kg for chassis cab models.

E-Transit's all-electric powertrain delivers up to 200kW of power for a targeted WLTP range of up to 217 miles, 2 supported by range-boosting technologies including Eco Mode and Scheduled Pre-Conditioning. Operators will additionally benefit from new SYNC 4 technology including an easy-to-use 12-inch screen and available cloud-connected navigation, 3 enhanced through automatic wireless Software Updates.

Ford expects service cost of ownership to be approximately 40 per cent lower compared with internal combustion engine-equipped models, 4 as a result of lower maintenance expenses.

Photo credit: Ford
posted on conceptcarz.com