Ford is starting trials of its all-electric E-Transit van, with prototypes joining customer fleets and hitting the roads 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 E-Transit Trails: Real World Testing
Prototype E-Transit vans will be operating in real-world conditions with major businesses in the supermarket, home delivery, postal services and utility sectors.
The 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 meet the demands of a wide range of operating scenarios.
Ford engineers will use data from the trials to help refine E‑Transit’s 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.
Ford E-Transit Trails: Cargo Capacity
Ford 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.
Anticipated payload is up to 1,616kg for vans and up to 1,967kg for chassis cab models.
The 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 onboard system delivers up to 2.3kW of electricity through standard plugs to power conversions and equipment in the cab and load area.
Ford E-Transit Trails: Range and Operating Costs
E-Transit’s all-electric powertrain delivers up to 269hp for a targeted range of up to 217 miles, supported by range-boosting tools such as an eco mode and scheduled battery pre-conditioning.
Ford expects service cost of ownership to be approximately 40% lower compared with internal combustion engine-equipped models, as a result of lower maintenance expenses.
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