Ford E-Transit 2023 Review

The 2023 Ford E-Transit comes to Australia in two battery-electric formats: the Ford E-Transit 420L BEV Mid Roof and Ford E-Transit 420L BEV High Roof, with pricing of $104,990 plus on-road costs and $106,490 plus ORCs respectively.

Both are long-wheelbase, rear-wheel drive vehicles, which in terms of physical dimensions closely mirror the existing Transit 350L RWD (which, in sharp contrast, is priced from $53,590 plus ORCs), with Ford quoting internal volumes of 11 cubic metres for the mid-roof BEV and 12.4 cubic metres for the high-roof.

The options list is modest. Prestige paint will set you back a further $700, while choosing a hue from Ford’s wide Special Vehicle Options paint range costs $1400. A single front-passenger seat (instead of dual) is $150, while having dual sliding doors (nearside and offside) costs an additional $1000.

Servicing for the Ford E-Transit is pegged at every 12 months or 30,000km (same as the standard model), whichever comes first, while Ford Australia is yet to announce servicing costs for the EV.

The E-Transit is backed by Ford’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which sits alongside an eight-year/160,000km warranty for its battery and high-voltage electrical components.

There are few battery-electric large vans currently on sale in Australia, with the E-Transit’s closest competitor the LDV eDeliver 9 that’s also priced high (from $116,537 plus ORCs).

The smaller Mercedes-Benz eVito is available from $89,353 plus ORCs, but the eSprinter – a direct rival for E-Transit – isn’t due until the next-generation Sprinter arrives around 2024.

Not to be confused with the Transit Custom medium van, or the E-Transit Custom due to arrive here in 2024, these two new EV variants join an existing Transit line-up that spans an array of long-wheelbase large van models.

Transit bus and cab-chassis models are also available, but common throughout is the standard Transit’s sole choice of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.

Like its siblings, the 2023 Ford E-Transit comes standard with an array of commercially focused features, such as a single nearside sliding door, rear barn-style glazed doors that fold to 270 degrees, and a practical load bay.

The load bay features 10 tie-down points, a plastic floor liner, sound deadening internal wall liners and a steel bulkhead with window. There are also four internal lights and a 12V socket, while the E-Transit’s key fob allows the cab and load bay to be locked or unlocked independently.

Up front is an electric-adjust driver’s seat with lumbar support and an arm rest, plus a leatherette-wrapped multi-function steering wheel adjustable for tilt and reach.

A 12-inch multimedia screen features Ford’s SYNC4 platform and offers connected satellite navigation. It integrates with the FordPass app to give vehicle and trip data plus remote control of features including cabin cooling or heating, and charge scheduling.

The charging socket is beneath the Ford badge on the front grille, while the Mode 3, Type 2 charging cable (supplied) is stowed under the passenger seat.

You won’t, however, find a tow bar – E-Transit isn’t rated for towing. Ford Australia says the added aerodynamic drag of towing substantially reduces range, while a survey of Transit customers found only a small number use the vehicle to tow.

What’s under the bonnet? Not too much, really – but it’s here, down low, that you’ll find the Transit’s full-size spare wheel.

The 2023 Ford E-Transit has not been assessed by independent safety authorities such as ANCAP or Euro NCAP.

However, the combustion-engined Transit has been awarded a Gold standard for its driver assist safety systems from both the Australasian and European NCAP organisations, under a separate study on commercial vans.

Like its siblings, the E-Transit comes standard with numerous active and passive safety features.

Beyond front and side airbags, electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes, there’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, auto hold, adaptive cruise control, Intersection Assist, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, among others.

The 2023 Ford E-Transit features technology befitting an EV at the start of a new era of clean and connected commercial transportation.

Like the standard Transit, E-Transit has Ford’s SYNC4 multimedia platform, and has features like live traffic updates, a digital owner’s manual and connected satellite navigation, the latter harnessing charging infrastructure data provider Plugshare to pinpoint charging locations.

Route planning identifies suitable nearby charging locations while taking traffic congestion and current battery charge into account, while routes can be curated within the van via SYNC4 and sent to the FordPass app, or vice versa.

Suggested routes can also prioritise aspects such as total time, distance travelled or optimal economy, and take estimated charge time into account.

The E-Transit’s 12-inch touch-screen also features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and enhanced voice commands, while FordPass lets drivers pre-heat or cool the cabin while the vehicle is still plugged in to external power, maximising range, or program charge scheduling to take advantage of off-peak power tariffs.

Ford Australia says these E-Transit platforms are ideal for small-to-medium-sized fleets, while large fleets will invariably apply their own telematics solutions – an area Ford says it will continue to explore in coming years.

We had a few issues when uploading a route from FordPass to the van’s SYNC4 at the E-Transit’s recent national launch, but will reserve judgement until we’ve spent more time in the vehicle. Familiarity will undoubtedly smooth the experience.

The instruments see a central 4.2-inch display nestled between an analogue speedo and, instead of a tacho, a battery usage gauge. This shows the extent to which the battery is being depleted or charged depending on usage and if it’s utilising regenerative braking.

Beneath the central display are two further gauges that show the battery’s level of available charge (also available via a digital kilometres-to-empty display), along with total available battery capacity.

Other handy features include auto lights and wipers, climate control and DAB+ digital radio with four speakers.

Save for the blue grille trim, there’s little that gives away the EV status of the 2023 Ford E-Transit. However, while there is a large degree of parts commonality between E-Transit and the standard Transit, plenty of work has gone on under the skin to facilitate the transition.

The single electric rear motor produces up to 198kW and 430Nm, making it the most powerful Transit currently available (standard Transit: 125kW/390Nm).

The Ford E-Transit has three drive modes – Normal, Eco and Slippery – with Eco limiting acceleration, top speed and climate control to maximise range, and Slippery altering traction settings in instances of low grip.

Drive is fed to the rear wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission while the motor is powered by a 68kWh lithium-ion battery.

This lithium NCM (nickel cobalt manganese) battery weighs 500kg and is held low in the vehicle within a new subframe, thereby preserving cargo space and lowering the centre of gravity to enhance handling – an aspect also aided by the E-Transit’s new independent rear suspension.

Surprisingly, E-Transit actually shares a significant amount of its driveline DNA with the looming Ford Mustang Mach-E, due here by year’s end.

The E-Transit motor, battery, ISC (internal short circuit) control unit and braking regeneration system are all shared with the Mach-E, which Ford says has sped up E-Transit’s arrival and lowered its pricing.

According to the car-maker, the 2023 Ford E-Transit has a range of between 230km to 307km in Mid Roof form, or 222-295km in High Roof form, under European WLTP testing protocols.

Ford says those figures aren’t impacted to any great degree by the vehicle’s load but rather its aerodynamics, which is why Ford hasn’t rated E-Transit for towing.

The E-Transit is equipped with an 11.3kW on-board AC charger and comes equipped with a 32A Mode 3 Type 2 charge cable.

Using three-phase AC power at 11kW the model has a charge time of 8.2 hours (zero to 100 per cent) but, with its DC fast-charge capacity of 115kW, it can be charged from 15 to 80 per cent in a claimed 34 minutes.

The 2023 Ford E-Transit is quiet and smooth – thoroughly enjoyable, even – to guide through city streets, which isn’t a claim we ever thought we’d make about a large van!

Behind the wheel there’s little immediate difference between E-Transit and its siblings, save for the battery info on the instrumentation, the drive mode button beneath the multimedia unit and the ‘L’ button at the centre of the rotary transmission dial (more on that in a bit).

Simply hit the start button, marvel at the lack of diesel clatter, select ‘drive’ and you’re off.

At first, we were underwhelmed by the van’s performance – at least against the backdrop of Ford’s ‘most powerful Transit’ claim. Then we realised we were in Eco mode, which moderates performance to preserve range.

To be fair, it still gets along just fine in Eco, although we must point out that our brief first drive in the mid-roof version was undertaken unladen.

Switching to Normal, however, transforms the experience. Then E-Transit leaps away from a standing start in a manner that isn’t ‘normal’ at all for a large van.

Of course, lead-footed antics will only sap the E-Transit’s range, but it’s nice to know this level of performance is available if you want it.

Road and wind noise is minimal, too, even though it’s accentuated by the complete lack of engine noise.

Extending the E-Transit’s range is regenerative braking, or Lift-off Regenerative Deceleration, in Ford-speak.

Each time you lift off the accelerator and coast, you can feel the mild resistance of the regenerative braking system, which essentially converts the vehicle’s kinetic energy to extra battery charge, extending range.

Where the E-Transit differs is it has two levels of regenerative braking – press the ‘L’ (for Low) button on the transmission dial and the level of resistance increases. It takes some acclimatising, but it’s really just like using an exhaust brake or a retarder on a truck, in that it further slows the vehicle and saves your regular brakes, but in this case charges the battery too.

Although having said that, we’re unsure why you wouldn’t want to utilise the maximum regenerative charging all the time.

And then we come to the E-Transit’s handling and dynamics. Again, with the caveat of tackling our drive unladen, we’ve never sampled a large van before that offered such a composed and compliant drive.

The new rear independent suspension and the positioning of that 500kg battery has resulted in a van that feels planted, exhibits surprisingly minimal body roll and generally behaves on the road more like a passenger car than a commercial.

The steering is benign, with no unwanted feedback, and the brakes have a good amount of power and feel.

Add in zesty performance, whisper-quiet operation and a reasonable turning circle, and this van is – dare we say it – a thoroughly enjoyable drive.

We look forward to seeing how a load affects the E-Transit’s on-road manners and performance.

Anyone familiar with the current generation of Transit will instantly feel at home in the 2023 Ford E-Transit. It’s essentially the same cab, just with different instrumentation and a couple of extra buttons.

There’s no A-pillar grab handle but ingress presents no major issue. And there’s a quality feel throughout – all the various panels fit together nicely and there’s plenty of refinement, despite the usual mix of hard-wearing plastics and synthetic flooring.

Importantly, there’s a good amount of storage, with bottle holders and cup holders either side, plus extra-large sun visors to help at dawn and dusk. Visibility is excellent, with sizeable side mirrors but also relatively skinny A-pillars doing their bit.

And comfort is high, with plenty of adjustment available in the driver’s seat and steering wheel, and all the controls right where you want them.

The bulkhead, meanwhile, enhances climate control efficiency and minimises road noise.

In short, the E-Transit simply elevates commercial van driving to another level.

The 2023 Ford E-Transit has a maximum payload of 1611kg in the 420L BEV Mid Roof and 1566kg in the 420L BEV High Roof.

Both models have a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4250kg and kerbside weights of 2639kg and 2684kg respectively.

As previously stated, the Ford E-Transit is not rated for towing as Ford says towing significantly alters the vehicle’s aerodynamics, adversely impacting range.

The E-Transit’s load floor height is a little higher than a standard Transit but the cargo space is preserved at 11 cubic metres for the Mid Roof and 12.4 cubic metres for the High Roof.

It’s a well-equipped space, although the plastic load bay flooring can become very slippery when hopping in and out in wet weather.

Ford first introduced the Transit back in 1965 and it’s been a staple of the Australian commercial vehicle scene since the 1970s. So it’s somehow fitting that the Blue Oval chose this nameplate to place at the spearhead of its leap into the EV world.

Drivers will love the 2023 Ford E-Transit for its quiet operation, its smooth and spirited performance, and its impressive on-road dynamics, as well as all the safety, comfort and convenience features for which the Transit name is renowned.

Yes, at nearly double the price the EV premium here is appreciable, and fleets will be curious to see how the new E-Transit can fit into their business operations both practically and commercially.

To address this, Ford Australia has a fleet of loan vehicles ready for operators to sample for themselves.

As Ford Australia went to some pains to point out at the E-Transit’s launch, we’re really just at the beginning of Ford’s electric vehicle rollout.

But judging by this first taste, the transition to clean transport brings with it plenty of benefits both for businesses and drivers, not to mention the environment.

2023 Ford E-Transit 420L RWD LWB Mid Roof at a glance:
Price: From $104,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 198kW/430Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Battery: 68kWh lithium-ion
Range: 230-307km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 22.3kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested