Ford has unveiled the E-Transit, an all-electric variant of its ever-popular transport model.
Set to compete with GMC and Amazon-backed Rivian’s offerings, including whatever Tesla comes up with, the zero-emission Transit will offer electric solutions to fleet owners and customers alike — and it also comes packed with practical features.
Fossil fuels are on their way out. Investors like JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley have all called the market for automobiles to be moving towards electrification, especially in Europe. Vehicle manufacturers need to stay afloat, to adapt to the demands of the market. From this angle, Ford’s $11.2 billion investment into making the transition towards electric power is certainly understandable. As Ford’s CEO Jim Farley explains,”Ford is North America and Europe’s commercial truck and van leader, so the transition of fleet vehicles to zero emissions, especially for the fast-growing last-mile delivery segment, is critical to achieve our carbon neutrality goal by 2050″.
Given that the US’s top-selling vehicle last year was the F-series pickup, the electric F-150 that was announced recently makes a lot of sense. The Mustang Mach E similarly serves the purpose of bringing its most iconic model into the future. This brings us to Ford’s latest commercial vehicle offering, the E-Transit van, set for arrival in 2022.
Powered by a 76-kWh battery, its electric mill will deliver 266HP and 317 lb-ft of torque and will have an estimated range of 126 miles. This might seem low compared to other Evs. However, Ford says it is backed up by data from 30 million miles driven by its non-electric Transit customers “to deliver the right amount of range based on fleet need.”
The Ford Mobile Charger works with 120 or 240V outlets, AC and DC. A 115-plus-kW DC fast charge promises 30 miles of range in 10 minutes or 45 miles in 15 on the low-roof model.
The E-transit will be offered in three different trim levels of varying heights and lengths, as well as in chassis cab and cutaway chassis models ready for upfitters to modify and accessorize as pleased. Ford North America’s general manager of commercial business, Ted Cannis, commented on the E-Transit’s maintenance cost, which is expected to cost 40 percent less than the standard model and come with an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. “This makes E-Transit ideal for commercial customers who know their drive routes and often work in urban environments. Affordability is key. E-Transit provides ample range at a price that makes the transition to electric easy.”
The upcoming E-Transit will be offered with Ford’s proprietary SYNC 4 operating system, meaning that fleet owners will be able to monitor, offer assistance, and advice to improve driving performance as well as keep track of driver ID.
The goodies list doesn’t end there either. A 2.4 kW battery can also operate as a mobile power source; just plug anything you can imagine into a socket on the rear edge of the passenger-side door, and you are good to go. This feature will come in handy to everyone using the E-Transit for their small business, especially if it involves electrical tools and fieldwork.
The E-Transit starts from $45,000, and buyers get a cool $7,500 federal EV tax credit present with it.
Full press release here.
