The electric Ford Transit proves its viability in real delivery tests
The electric version of the successful Transit is already in the testing phase. It is a simple and direct conversion according to Ford that uses many of the components of the current version that has given such good results to the brand. The objective is to demonstrate the viability of E-Transit, as this model is already called.
Cast in electric van
The body configurations are various, depending on the specific transport needs:
ProPower Onboard 2.3 kW refrigerated box for delivery of products that need cold, such as power supplies.
Folding box for the construction sector with light beacons and sensors to control weight.
Caged tipper for waste collection.
Last-mile delivery box with bulkhead and rear pneumatic suspension.
Last-mile delivery van with attached internal shelving, bulkhead, and fold-down front seat.
The E-Transit is already running on a trial basis at different locations in Europe with a number of selected customers. The goal is a full-scale launch within a year, by spring 2022.
Ten prototypes are available for testing and are operating in real-life conditions of use in different sectors such as postal, municipal, and public services, last mile, and delivery of food products in Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
The companies that are using them are AWB waste disposal, Balfour Beatty, Cologne Municipal Fleet, DHL Express in the UK, DPD, Norwegian Post, Ocado, and Recover Nordic.
Tests in real conditions
The fleet for these tests includes the different configurations discussed and gross masses of 3.5 to 4.25 tons.
This program is an evolution of the one carried out with the Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid, which traveled more than 240,000 km by several customers who confirmed that they could operate in zero-emissions mode for 75% of their journey while in central London.
Additional tests were also conducted in Cologne, Germany, which helped demonstrate the benefit of dynamic geofencing (GPS location) technology, which enables zero-emission EV Now (electric) mode to be automatically activated in specific areas, for example. those that support more pollution.
As Dave Petts, Ford of Europe market manager for electrified urban vans, explains, we want to show that helping customers reduce their environmental impact can go hand in hand with improving their productivity. Real-world mileage in Customer's hands helps us showcase the business benefits that E-Transit can deliver, as well as provide valuable feedback on usage patterns and loading behavior so that we can refine the operating experience. We strongly believe in treating our customers as a family, and this program highlights the value we place on those close alliances.