More details have been announced regarding the upcoming all-electric Ford E-Transit Custom, which is scheduled to enter production this time next year.
As The Van Expert reported back in May, the new E-Transit Custom will offer a class-leading electric range of up to 236 miles when it reaches the market in 2023 – able to travel further on once charge that rivals like the Citroën ë-Dispatch, Fiat E-Scudo, Mercedes-Benz eVito and Peugeot e-Expert.
Ford now says that the E-Transit will be available with either a 135hp or 217hp electric motor, both powered by a 74kWh battery pack. To make this battery as efficient as possible, Ford says that the E-Transit will be the first electric vehicle to use ‘vapour-injected heat pump technology’, which heats and cools the cabin without wasting too much energy.
The van also uses regenerative braking to charge up the battery on the move, and comes with a ‘one-pedal drive’ mode, which can bring the E-Transit Custom to a halt without use of the brake pedal.
While the regular Transit Custom van can tow weights up to 2,800kg, this electric drivetrain delivers a towing capacity of up to 2,000kg.
As the E-Transit Custom’s motor is stored underneath the rear floor, this electric van can’t match the payload capacity of its combustion-powered sibling either. It has a maximum payload of 1,100kg, around 350kg short of the maximum weight a diesel-powered Transit Custom can feasibly carry.
However, with its 125kW fast charging ability, Ford assures customers that the “E-Transit Custom could replace diesel vehicles in roles that no other all-electric van can match.”
The Custom will also be available with Ford’s ProPower systems which allows the vehicle to use its battery to provide power for external tools, lighting and such while at a work site.
The E-Transit Custom will be supported by Ford Pro’s range of software systems for commercial users, such aspects as charging, service and financing all contained on one platform designed to reduce operating costs and ensure the vehicle spends as much time as possible on the road.
The combustion-powered Transit Custom is currently Europe’s best-selling van, and Ford will be hoping that the E-Transit Custom will be able to emulate its success – challenging the Vauxhall Vivaro-e for the title of the UK’s most popular electric LCV. For now, the van is still in the development phase, with production set to begin at Ford’s plant in Turkey in Autumn 2023.
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