Ford is the first manufacturer to deliver plug-in hybrid technology for zero-emission driving capability to the one-tonne van segment, with the innovative new Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid.
The Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid starts from £39,145 excluding VAT for Leader trim; £40,595 for Trend and £42,950 for Limited.
Highlights include a 35-mile range, thanks to the plug-in hybrid’s 126hp electric motor coupled with a 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack. A 1.0‑litre EcoBoost petrol engine acts as a range extender to provide a total driving range exceeding 310 miles, with official figures of 91.7mpg and 60g/km CO2 emissions. As with all electric vehicles sold in the EU, the battery comes with a 100,000 mile/eight-year warranty.
Four selectable EV modes enable the driver to choose how and when to use the available battery charge: EV Auto, EV Now, EV Later and EV Charge.
The 6.0m3 load volume remains untouched and unchanged, while maximum payload is 1,130kg.
The new Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid is available to order now with first deliveries before the end of the year.
In addition, Ford is offering a Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid eight-seat people-carrier that uses the same plug-in hybrid powertrain. Due to the vehicle’s added weight, its performance drops slightly to offer 79.1mpg and 70g/km CO2 emissions an electric driving range of up to 33 miles.
Regenerative braking puts some power back into the battery when slowing down, but to charge the new plug-in hybrids, Ford says that a charging port is located within the front bumper allowing for charging in 4.3 hours using a domestic 240V 10A power supply (standard three-pin plug), or 2.7 hours using a commercial Type-2 AC vehicle charger via a dedicated wallbox.
The Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid will be offered in a single L1 H1 variant, with Van or Kombi bodystyles. The Van model is available in a choice of Base, Trend and high-specification Limited series.
To help ensure Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid uses pure-electric power in low-emission zones, the standard Geofencing module automatically switches the vehicle to EV Now mode when entering such a zone, or a user-specified geofenced area.
Available driver assistance technologies include Active Park Assist and Lane-Keeping Alert supported by standard electric power-assisted steering that is optimised for city driving and easy manoeuvring in busy commercial environments.
