New Ford E-Tourneo Custom brings enhanced interior flexibility and competitive towing capabilities from electric drivetrain.
The next-generation Ford Tourneo Custom will arrive in Europe next year, offering a battery-electric powertrain for the first time. While the new Ford E-Transit Custom electric will arrive in Australia, the E-Tourneo Custom is not expected to be made available here.
Based on the new 2023 Ford E-Transit Custom detailed earlier this year, the new E-Tourneo Custom receives the same 160kW electric motor driving the front wheels. It has ‘one-pedal’ drive capability, ramping up the regenerative braking to slow the car without using the brakes.
The E-Tourneo Custom’s 74kWh battery – using high-cell-density tech from the F-150 Lightning pick-up – is also shared with the E-Transit Custom, enabling a 370km range.
This is competitive with rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz EQV (343km) and the Citroën e-Spacetourer (219km). It is beaten by the Volkswagen ID Buzz (415km) although that model has yet to be offered with seven seats.
Recharging tops out at 125kW using a DC fast charger – 15kW greater than the EQV’s maximum – and enables a 15-80 per cent recharge in 41 minutes. AC charging (such as from a home wallbox) is possible at 11kW, providing a full recharge in less than eight hours.
The diesel and petrol plug-in-hybrid (PHEV) powertrains available in the outgoing Tourneo Connect are still available – the diesel offered in 99kW, 110kW and 125kW guises. The PHEV uses a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, a single motor and an 11.8kWh battery, giving an electric range of 50km.
All powertrains can tow 2000kg, but diesel versions can lug braked trailers weighing an additional 500kg.
The next-generation Tourneo Custom is offered with two wheelbases, each with three rows of seats. The battery-electric powertrain can be specified with up to eight seats, while the diesel and PHEV variants can have up to nine.
The second row of seats uses a 33/33/33 split with integrated seatbelts, which makes it easier to reconfigure – such as into a rear-facing ‘conference’ layout – according to Ford. The third row uses a less practical 60/40 split.
Five Isofix points for child seats are available – three in the second row, and two in the outboard seats on the third row.
Up front, a 13.0-inch infotainment touchscreen running Ford’s Sync 4 software is standard, as well as the new ‘tilting’ steering wheel from the E-Transit Custom that can be folded flat into a table.
Utility has been emphasised in the Tourneo Custom: the powered side doors now feature hands-free operation (via a kicking motion) so they can be opened easily when you’re carrying heavy items.
The electric and PHEV versions also feature vehicle-to-load power sockets up front, enabling you to tap their batteries to power devices up to 2.3kW, such as kettles or laptops.
Charlie Martin
