Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn has started shipping its E-Transit all-electric commercial vans to customers from its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri, the automaker’s first U.S. plant to assemble both batteries and all-electric vehicles in-house.
Ford Pro, the company’s brand focused on government and commercial customers, has more than 10,000 orders from businesses of all sizes and Ford is working on ways to increase production.
“E-Transit is a testament to the fact that an electric commercial fleet is no longer a vision of tomorrow, but a productivity-boosting modern reality,” says Kumar Galhotra, president of The Americas and International Markets Group at Ford Motor Co.
E-Transit is part of Ford’s more than $30 billion investment in electrification through 2025. It is Ford’s most recent electric vehicle, following Mustang Mach-E. F-150 Lightning and F-150 Lightning Pro deliveries begin this spring.
“Ford Pro is committed to driving businesses forward — from the Transit vans and F-150 trucks assembled right here in America by American workers, to the many businesses it will help grow, to the communities that benefit from the jobs and revenue,” says Tim Baughman, general manager of Ford Pro North America.
By the end of next year, Ford says it will have the global capacity to produce 600,000 battery electric vehicles annually, which includes 200,000-plus Mustang Mach-E SUVs and 150,000 F-150 Lightning trucks. Ford now is working on ways to increase E-Transit production.
Demand is strong, with more than 300 customers placing orders for 10,000-plus E-Transit vans. Businesses of all sizes are ordering E-Transit — from small operations like Sheeran Construction in Aston, Pa., to municipalities like the city of Orlando, Fla., to some of the nation’s largest service providers and retailers like Walmart.
Ford invested $100 million in its Kansas City Assembly Plant and added approximately 150 full-time jobs. These jobs include vehicle and battery pack assembly for the new E-Transit.
“When asked if I wanted to work on the new E-Transit, I was one of the first to raise my hand and volunteer,” says John Dodd, a UAW-Ford operator who holds one of the 150 new jobs at the plant. “I’m ready to see the E-Transit on the roads, to see it make an actual impact on local businesses. The future of Ford is electric and it’s exciting.”
Chuck Browning, UAW vice president and director for the Ford department, says, “Today’s production shipping announcement of the 2022 Ford Pro E-Transit vans to customers marks the beginning of a new era emerging from Kansas City Assembly Plant. By producing both gas and electric versions of America’s best-selling commercial van, members in Claycomo (where the plant is located) are working to meet current demand while transitioning to a strong electric future. UAW members are proud to take part in Ford’s commitment to build a quality new technology product that adds jobs and investment in Kansas City.”
To learn more about the all-electric Ford E-Transit van, visit here.
