Ford has unveiled the 2022 E-Transit, the all-electric version of the world’s best-selling cargo van. Described as the first all-electric cargo van from a full-line automaker in North America, the E-Transit will offer a choice of eight configurations when its arrives in late 2021. Those will include three roof heights, three lengths, as well as chassis cab and cutaway models. All will feature a rear-wheel-drive all-electric drivetrain.
A 67 kWh battery located underneath the
vehicle body will power a motor projected to make 198 kW (266 HP) of
power and 429 Nm of torque. In North America, the E-Transit will
deliver an EPA-estimated range of 202 km in low-roof cargo van
guise, while the WLTP-rated range for European models will be 350 km. Ford will offer the electric van with a starting MSRP of under US$ 45,000
for U.S. fleet customers, backed by an eight-year, 100,000-mile electric
vehicle component warranty.
It’s worth noting that the E-Transit
offers the same interior cargo dimensions, providing up to 487.3 cubic feet of cargo space inside the high-roof, extended-wheelbase
variant. For E-Transit cargo vans in the U.S., Ford is targeting a maximum
payload of 1,723 kg, and up to 1,946 kg for
cutaway versions. The E-Transit also retains the standard mounting points for
continued integration with hundreds of upfitters and vehicle modifiers
worldwide. As a result, all the racks, bins and accessories for the gas-powered
Transit are compatible with the E-Transit.
Speaking of the gas-powered Transit, the
battery-powered E-Transit is said to offer 40 percent lower scheduled
maintenance costs over eight years/100,000 miles (161,000 km) compared to its
ICE counterpart. Ford says this will allow companies to improve customer uptime
and productivity by avoiding fill-ups – though it seems to conveniently leave
aside the fact that the E-Transit will need recharging. About that, the
E-Transit features both AC and DC fast charging, offering a standard 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. The optional Ford
Connected Charge Station offers the fastest home charging solution that can
fully charge the battery in eight hours.
Using a 115-plus-kilowatt DC fast charger,
E-Transit cargo van low-roof models can achieve approximately 48 km of range in 10 minutes and approximately 72 km of range in 15
minutes. When plugged into a 240-volt outlet, E-Transit cargo van low-roof
models achieve approximately 16 km per charging hour using the
standard Ford Mobile Charger. Using the optional Ford Connected Charge Station
brings the number up to approximately 24 km per charging hour.
Ford also offers the Pro Power Onboard
option, which provides up to 2.4 kilowatts of power for North American
customers to transform the E-Transit into a mobile generator to power tools and
equipment on job sites and on the go – everything from belt sanders to circular
saws. Adding to the 2022 E-Transit’s appeal is Ford’s network of 1,800-plus
global commercial vehicle dealers, including 645 commercial vehicle centers
across the U.S. for easy sales and service. Importantly, about 90 percent of
the dealers in the United States are electric vehicle-certified.
When it comes to styling, the 2022 Ford
E-Transit looks just like its gas-powered counterpart, except for the blue
accents on the grille. It does bring new equipment, headlined by the SYNC 4
infotainment system with a standard 12-inch touch screen, enhanced voice
recognition, cloud-enhanced navigation, standard 4G LTE modem, and over-the-air
updates.
The Ford Co-Pilot360 safety suite includes
additional standard technologies like Lane-Keeping System and Pre-Collision
Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, as well as available Intelligent
Adaptive Cruise Control with Speed Sign Recognition, Intelligent Speed Assist,
Blind Spot Information System with Blind Spot Assist, a 360-degree camera and
Reverse Brake Assist.
