Ford has revealed more details of its E-Transit Custom; the EV successor to its best-selling van and designed to help fleets go electric with full Ford Pro support.
First unveiled this spring, the one-tonne van arrives late next year on the back of the launch of the full-sized E-Transit earlier this year. It’s a major part of the brand’s plans to have five electric commercial vehicles on its books by 2024. This supports Ford’s pledge to go all-electric for passenger cars in Europe by 2030 and carbon-neutral across its European footprint by 2035.
It will be sold under the Ford Pro business launched last year, combining the benefits of electric vehicle technology with Ford Pro’s digital ecosystem of software and services to help businesses reduce cost of ownership, work more effectively and simplify the transition to electric vehicles.
The 74kWh battery delivers a range of up to 236 miles – over four times the average one-tonne van driver’s daily mileage, according to Ford Pro customer data – combined with an 11kW AC three-phase onboard charger that can fully recharge the battery in 7.8 hours. The battery can also be replenished at up to 125kW using DC chargers.
Ford Pro customers can also access the brand’s Blue Oval Charging Network – Europe’s largest, with over 300,000 chargers and growing – and every E‑Transit Custom is sold with a 12-month complimentary subscription to access public charging via the Blue Oval Charging Network.
Fleets can choose from 135 or 217hp motor power outputs to suit their needs, each offering 415Nm of torque, said to be class-leading.
This is combined with “no-compromise load-carrying and capability”. E-Transit Custom delivers payloads up to 1,100kg and maximum towing capacity of 2,000kg – giving fleets unique opportunities to replace diesel vehicles, according to the brand.
It also features independent rear suspension and an optional retractable towbar can be fitted.
This will all be supported by Ford Pro’s end-to-end solutions to manage and optimise charging, including consultation, simple wall-box installation and maintenance, integration with Ford vehicles and intuitive software to make planning and paying for charging easy.
Buyers also get the tailored features of Ford Pro E‑Telematics complimentary for one year – which use live data to help operators monitor the location, efficiency and health of their vehicles. The software also supports optimised charging strategies with EV-specific insights such as charging status, state of charge and remaining range with customisable Low Range alert thresholds. The battery and cab can also be programmed to be warmed or cooled before work with Scheduled Pre‑Conditioning to conserve energy for optimum range.
Furthermore, to maximise productivity during the working day, E-Transit Custom offers new digital solutions for multi-drop deliveries, and cab and load compartment access. The cab is also a business hub, with 5G connectivity and a flexible workspace including smart features like a steering wheel that folds to become an ergonomic holder for laptops and tablets.
The vehicle’s load floor is lower than the outgoing model, to make loading cargo and accessing the cab easier, and the overall height is now under two metres to help access in height-restricted areas. A claimed class-leading side load door aperture enhances loading, and a new access step also facilitates access.
It will be offered as a panel van, with load volumes from 5.8 to 9.0m3, payload up to 1,100kg and a maximum load length of 3,450mm. Double-cab-in-van and kombi body styles will also be available, all with a choice of short or long wheelbase and low or high roof.
Standard driver assistance features include Pre-Collision Assist, Lane-Keeping System, Driver Alert, Cruise Control with Adjustable Speed Limiter, Traffic Sign Recognition, Intelligent Speed Assist, Wrong Way Alert, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera.
Onboard tech includes a 13‑inch landscape touchscreen angled towards the driver for ease of use, equipped with Ford’s Sync 4 10 communication and infotainment system powered by a new 5G modem for superfast connectivity to the Ford Pro tech stack.
Ford Pro anticipates that E-Transit Custom will deliver lower operating costs compared to an equivalent diesel vehicle; for E-Transit, the reduction in servicing cost of ownership can be as much as 40%. Customers will also benefit from maximised uptime via Ford Pro Service’s FORDLiive connected uptime system.
The E-Transit Custom will be produced by the Ford Otosan joint in Kocaeli, Turkey and production will start in autumn 2023.
