All-electric Transit van
1 September 2021
One of the highlights at this week’s Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC was the first public UK viewing of Ford’s forthcoming e-Transit, an all-electric variant of this iconic model.
Trials are currently being undertaken throughout Europe with the van, which will be offered in chassis cab conversions with box van, tipper and dropside bodies. One of the trial partners is Balfour Beatty.
Models will have gross vehicle masses of between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes with a range of up to 199 miles.
The basic van will be available in March 2022 with a list price of £41,000.
John Rowland, brand specialist with Ford of Britain, told me that the battery is mounted low under the chassis to maximise load space and to maintain a low loading height. It can also be used for powering tools and equipment connected to it.
He added that Ford can also advise on the charging infrastructure that customers might need for the vehicles.
In addition at the Show, the manufacturer promoted its FordLiive telematics system which can monitor the real-time status and performance of its vehicles. Alerts about service and maintenance can be automatically generated to reduce downtime.
Any Ford vehicle already fitted with an on-board modem can connect to the service. Engineers estimate that up to 30% of breakdown call-outs could be avoided if users follow FordLiive advice.
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