Ford confirms electric E-Transit van for Australia

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Electric version of Ford Transit will arrive in the middle of next year, ahead of four more electrified models by 2025.

Ford’s E-Transit will be the first of five electrified models to be sold by the brand in Australia by 2025.

The electric van will be available as a rear-wheel-drive 420L long-wheelbase model, but with the option of a mid and high roof specification – providing 11.3 and 12.4 cubic metres of cargo space respectively.

Those figures are equal to the 350L diesel iteration thanks to Ford’s floor-mounted lithium-ion battery system that packs a 68kWh battery into the lower sections of the van.

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It has a claimed 317km driving range from a full charge (WLTP figure) and produces 198kW of power and 430Nm of torque from the rear motor, making it the most powerful Transit in the lineup.

It will be a van for those who have access to charging infrastructure and not long-distance journeys, of course. Charging times are 34 minutes from 15 to 80 per cent using a 115kW DC fast charger, or 8.2 hours to a full 100 per cent when using a slower 11.3kW AC charge.

Despite having a heavy battery underneath, gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 4.2 tonnes and it has a 1616kg payload capacity.

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Ford Australia Policy Director, Elly Haug says that the E-Transit will appeal when it lands here mid-2022 because some businesses are looking for EV alternatives to the work cars they use now: “We know that many businesses are looking to make the switch to electrified vehicles, and that’s backed up by increasing interest from consumers and growing support from government,” she said.

“We’re committed to helping our fleet customers meet the expectations of their customers – and that includes taking real action on climate change. Offering a sustainable transport option with E-Transit will help businesses on their road to net zero.”

That marks one of the five electrified models Ford Australia will be bringing Down Under but there are four more to come. One will be the Ford Escape PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) that will now arrive in Q2 2022 after a delayed launch. It uses a 2.5-litre petrol engine with 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery and an electric motor that helps achieve around a 50km electric-only driving range.

Options on the table for the remaining three are the Mustang Mach-E, Ranger and Everest PHEVs from the next generation, Ford F-150 Lightning and the Mondeos Evos, although Ford Australia president and CEO, Andrew Birkic would not be drawn into suggesting what the models will be yet, except to suggest the focus should be on the transit for now.

“We are accelerating our electrified future in Australia,” said Birkic. “We are anticipating the needs of each type of customer and bringing the best of our global lineup to meet those requirements. For business customers, E-Transit delivers the durability and capability they need to serve their customers, along with zero-emissions efficiency.”

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The Ford E-Transit has already started trials in Europe. Like many electric cars, you can set the heating or air-conditioning to come on and pre-condition the van’s cab while charging, which is useful for getting on with the working day more quickly. Inside the cab, there’s a 12-inch touchscreen with Ford’s latest SYNC 4 software, including voice commands, sat nav and over-the-air updates.

Ford Australia will cover the local E-Transit with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the battery.

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