Ford uncovers Nugget
After years of converters building camper vans and motorhomes on Ford light commercial chassis, the manufacturer is to offer its own model, with the Transit Custom Nugget. Converted by popular German camper firm Westfalia, the Nugget will go head to head with Ford’s LCV partner Volkswagen’s Transporter-based California.
The van will be powered by Ford’s 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine, offering 130hp or 185hp, with a choice of manual or automatic transmissions. It comes equipped with a host of safety and driver assistance systems, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Aid and Active Park Assist. The Nugget will also get Ford’s latest digital connectivity, with the Ford Pass Connect on-board modem providing a WiFi hotspot for up to 10 devices.
A record 125,000 motorhomes were sold across Europe in 2018, with sales of compact 1.0-tonne models up by 13%. Ford is expecting sales to continue to grow well into the next decade. Prices for the 130hp Custom Nugget start at £56,273, with the 185hp automatic van starting at £58,199.
Dynamo powers e-taxi
UK vehicle manufacturer Dynamo has developed a full electric black cab for London, based on the Nissan e-NV200. The vehicles are wheelchair-accessible and can carry up to five passengers. The average London taxi driver covers 90-120 miles per day, at a cost of around £25 in diesel. Dynamo said that using a home charger, the taxi should cover the same distance for around £3-£6, depending on supplier and tariff.
Transport for London has introduced tougher licensing requirements for new taxis, limiting their emissions to 50g/km of CO2 with a mandatory zero-emission range of 30 miles. The city has also committed to being a zero carbon city by 2050, with plans to introduce local zero emission zones on top of the current ULEZ area.
