Dearborn’s Ford Motor Co. has unveiled its 2022 E-Transit van, which will offer a fully electric powertrain as well as new software solutions.
The van, used for transporting passengers or cargo, is backed by Ford’s network of more than 1,800 global commercial vehicle dealers, including 645 commercial vehicle centers across the U.S., about 90 percent of which are electric vehicle-certified for sales and services
The E-Transit van offers the same interior cargo dimensions and standard mounting points for continued integration with hundreds of upfitters and modifiers for accessories. The majority of U.S. Transit vehicles sold last year were upfitted.
“Ford is North America and Europe’s commercial truck and van leader, so the transition of fleet vehicles to zero emissions, especially for the fast-growing last-mile delivery segment, is critical to achieve our carbon neutrality goal by 2050,” says Jim Farley, president and CEO of Ford.
“Ford is ready to lead the charge, starting with the all-electric Transit and all-electric F-150 on the way. This is good for the planet and a huge advantage for customers to help lower their operating costs and provide connected fleet management technologies that will help their businesses.”
The van was designed with insight from 30 million miles of customer telematics data. It has a usable battery capacity of 67 kilowatt-hours and will deliver an estimated range of 126 miles in the low-roof cargo van variant. It has a starting manufacturer suggested retail price under $45,000 for U.S. fleet customers and is backed with an eight-year, 100,000-mile electric vehicle component warranty.
“This makes E-Transit ideal for commercial customers who know their drive routes and often work in urban environments,” says Ted Cannis, Ford’s North America general manager of commercial business. “Affordability is key, and our customers buy only what they need to get the job done. E-Transit provides ample range at a price that makes the transition to electric easy. And Ford is just getting started.”
E-Transit comes with access to North America’s largest public charging network, providing drivers with seamless public payment capability and providing fleet managers with central account and billing management.
The van features AC and DC fast charging, coming standard with a Ford Mobile Charger that can plug into a normal 120-volt outlet for slow and steady charging or into a 240-volt outlet for faster charging. Those seeking the fastest home charging solution can purchase the Ford Connected Charge Station, which can fully charge the van in eight hours.
On a 115-plus-kilowatt DC fast charger, E-Transit cargo van low-roof models can achieve about 30 miles of range in 10 minutes and about 45 miles in 15 minutes. When plugged into a 240-volt outlet, these numbers are 10 miles per charging hour using the Ford Mobile Charger. Employing a Ford Connected Charge Station brings the number up to about 15 miles per charging hour.
The van features optional Pro Power Onboard, which provides up to 2.4 kilowatts of power for North American customers to transform the vehicle into a mobile generator that powers tools and equipment on job sites and on the go. That’s enough capability to power everything from belt sanders to circular saws.
When activated, the standard 4G LTE modem unlocks available data subscriptions and delivers connectivity to help commercial vehicle customers manage and optimize fleet efficiency. A range of dedicated electric vehicle services are available through Ford Commercial Solutions, including electric vehicle data enhancements from Ford Telematics and Ford Data Services.
Remote services like vehicle pre-conditioning – which optimizes cabin temperatures while E-Transit is plugged in to optimize battery efficiency – are also available, as well as charging reports that enable fleet managers to reimburse drivers who bring their vans home in the evening.
E-Transit also brings SYNC 4 communications and entertainment technology to commercial vehicles, featuring a standard 12-inch touch screen plus enhanced voice recognition and cloud-enhanced navigation. With SYNC over-the-air updates, E-Transit software and SYNC features will stay at the forefront of performance.
On the road with navigation enabled, fleet operators can benefit from new Ford Co-Pilot360 technology such as available intelligent adaptive cruise control with speed sign recognition and intelligent speed assist, which together identify speed limits and automatically change the vehicle speed accordingly.
E-Transit also features additional standard Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies designed to help fleet customers reduce driver-based insurance claims, including lane-keeping system and pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking. Available features include blind spot information system with blind spot assist, a 360-degree camera and reverse brake assist. These features can help maintain fleet driving standards and help improve driver confidence.
The van’s battery is located underneath the vehicle body, providing up to 487.3 cubic feet of cargo space inside the high-roof, extended-wheelbase variant.
Ford engineers redesigned E-Transit’s rear-wheel drive and rear suspension to optimize cargo space, creating a heavy-duty semi-trailing arm suspension system enabling better steering precision and more confident handling, plus better traction both in laden and unladen conditions.
For E-Transit cargo vans in the U.S., Ford is targeting a maximum payload of 3,800 pounds, and up to 4,290 pounds for cutaway versions – with a powerful electric motor delivering a targeted 266 horsepower/198 kilowatts of power and 317 lb.-ft. of torque across all configurations.
In the U.S., E-Transit is available with a choice of three roof heights and three body lengths, as well as in cargo, cutaway, and chassis cab versions.
Scheduled maintenance costs for the E-Transit are estimated to be 40 percent less than the average scheduled maintenance costs for a gas-powered 2020 Transit over eight years/100,000 miles.
Ford is the leading commercial vehicle brand in North America and Europe and has been making the Transit family vehicles for 55 years and commercial vehicles since 1905. The van will be assembled at Kansas City Assembly Plant.
The E-Transit is part of a Ford investment in electrification of more than $11.5 billion through 2022. The all-electric Mustang Mach-E begins arriving later this year, while the all-electric F-150 will be available in dealerships in mid-2022. In North America, Ford is the first full-line automaker to announce plans to produce an all-electric full-size pickup truck and a full-size van.
Ford intends to achieve carbon neutrality globally by 2050. It says it is committed to reducing CO2 emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and working with California for stronger vehicle greenhouse gas standards.
