Ford E-Transit all-electric commercial van due next year
Ford Australia has today revealed its E-Transit commercial van, the brand’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV) to be offered in the Australian market.
When the E-Transit goes on sale in mid-2022, it will become the second electrified model to join a line-up of at least five EVs Ford Australia promises to offer by the end of 2024.
The Ford E-Transit will be powered by a 68kWh battery pack which Ford claims to provide 317km of driving range on the WLTP cycle – or about double what Ford claims the average commercial van covers on a typical day.
Outputs of 198kW and 430Nm will also make the E-Transit the most powerful in the Transit line-up, blitzing the current Transit Custom Sport’s 2.0-litre diesel engine’s 136kW and 405Nm figures.
A 1616kg payload, 11.3mᶟ of storage space (in mid-roof configuration) and 12.4 mᶟ (in high-roof configuration) are also achieved by placing the E-Transit’s battery packs in the floor and its electric motors within the independent coil rear suspension’s subframe.
Using its AC- and DC-compatible 11.3kW onboard charger, the E-Transit can charge to 100 per cent in 8.2 hours, or from 15–80 per cent in just 34 minutes with a 115kW DC fast charger.
Ford Australia also states its new Ionboost+ battery tech utilised in its commercial EVs will be warrantied for the life of the vehicles:
“We’re using a pouch-type cell for commercial customers. Long-lasting cells which last the lifetime of the vehicle,” a Ford spokesperson told Australian media.
“We warranty them to last the lifetime of the vehicle: eight years and still 70 per cent of their [capacity] at that point.”
Further to this, Ford Australia says the E-Transit will only require servicing once a year.
The E-Transit will incorporate Ford’s new SYNC4 infotainment system on a 12-inch touchscreen, which Ford claims to possess double the processing power as the outgoing SYNC3 system. Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, over-the-air updates and multiple phone pairing will all be compatible with the new system.
While pricing for the Ford E-Transit remains a secret, Ford Australia has confirmed the model will be sold through its existing dealer network, with further pricing and specifications expected to be released closer to the model’s mid-2022 release.
