Pure-electric Ford Transit set for November 12 debut
Battery-powered van part of blue oval's billion-dollar expansion into electric vehiclesFord has announced it will launch a pure-electric version of its popular Ford Transit on November 12.
Set to be called the e-Transit, the new battery-powered delivery van will be manufactured at a new purpose-built EV production facility in Michigan in the US as part of a huge $11.5bn ($A16.4bn) investment in electrified vehicles.
From the single image of the side profile of the van released overnight, it appears that the new Ford e-Transit will be heavily based on the current model, with the zero-emissions commercial only expected to differ with a blanked-out grille and some styling elements aimed at reducing drag.
Ford has already announced that when it goes on sale, the electric e-Transit will be available as a van, pick-up and cab/chassis and come with the choice of three body lengths and roof heights.
The US car-making giant hasn't released details of its electric van but it's thought it will share much with the upcoming Mustang Mach-E.
Expect the Transit to be offered with the choice of a standard 75.7kWh or extended-range 98.8kWh lithium-ion battery, mirroring the performance electric SUV.
Since it's tailored to fleet buyers, including online retail outlets like Amazon, the e-Transit will come with an advanced telemetry system and in-built 4G connection.
This helps fleet managers live-track delivery vans to help monitor their drivers' performance and driving behaviour.
As standard, the Ford EV will also come with plenty of driver assistance aids, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), pedestrian detection, auto high beam and, potentially, semi-autonomous cruise control.
Despite the fourth-generation Transit being co-developed by both Ford Europe and Ford North America, there's been no confirmation when the e-Transit will be offered to other markets outside the US.
That said, proposed bans on combustion-powered vehicles in some European cities suggests it should be on sale in Europe in 2021 after its sales debut in the US.
The arrival of Ford e-Transit in 2021 pips the bigger Ford F-150 Electric that has had its on-sale date pushed back to the middle of 2022.
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