Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Electric Ford Transit van will electrify an often overlooked auto segment

Ronan Glon
By
Ford Transit Electric teaser image
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ford is preparing to electrify an often-overlooked segment of the automotive industry. The company announced it’s developing an electric version of the Transit van, which is available in cargo- and people-hauling configurations, to give motorists who want — or need — to live their best van life a zero-emissions option.

Technical specifications about the battery-powered Transit remain vague. Ford hasn’t revealed precisely what it will be powered by, how much driving range it will offer, or whether the battery pack will compromise its cargo capacity. It pledged to offer the van in several different configurations, including a standard cargo van, a cutaway that could theoretically become an RV, and a cab-chassis well-suited to morphing into a moving truck. Buyers will have three roof heights and three body lengths to choose from, which is what’s already offered on the V6-powered Transit.

Recommended Videos

The dark preview image (shown above) published by Ford suggests the electric Transit will be an evolution of the current-generation model introduced in 2013, not an entirely new model. It’s reasonable to assume several powertrain-specific styling cues will help the zero-emissions model stand out from non-electrified versions.

Related

Fleet operators will be able to track their vans using the Ford Telematics software, which provides access to real-time GPS data and vehicle-related diagnostic information. They’ll also have the option of geofencing the Transit to ensure drivers don’t end up at the local Ikea instead of delivering parcels. These features are made possible by the FordPass Connect modem, which also provides a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot capable of powering up 10 devices at a time.

The electric Ford Transit will go on sale in the United States for the 2022 model year, meaning it will likely arrive in showrooms before the end of 2021. Pricing information hasn’t been announced yet. For context, the gasoline-burning Transit carries a base price of $34,510. Production will take place in the United States.

When it arrives, it will share showroom space with the electric version of the next F-150 and the Mustang Mach-E introduced in 2019. Ford is investing $11.5 billion through 2022 into developing electrified technology, so other battery-powered models will follow. Meanwhile, the company’s upmarket Lincoln division is working with Rivian to build a luxurious electric SUV to the market by 2022, which is seemingly a key date for the firm.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon
Contributor
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
The Lucid Gravity has more range than any other electric SUV
A Lucid Gravity electric SUV on the road.

The Lucid Air is a marvelous electric car. It offers more range than any EV currently on sale, plus impressive performance and tech. However, it’s also a sedan, and therefore will always have limited reach in a marketplace dominated by SUVs. Enter the Lucid Gravity, a seven-passenger, three-row SUV launching in 2024 that will allow Lucid to reach a wider audience.

The Gravity is a sensible follow-up to the Air. Having introduced itself to the world with that sedan, Lucid can now channel some of the buzz into a vehicle aimed at a larger patch of the market. But it also presents a challenge. In order to create a true SUV, Lucid had to make the Gravity heavier and less aerodynamic than the Air, cutting into the efficiency that was a hallmark of the sedan’s design.

Read more
The fastest electric cars, ranked by 0-60 mph acceleration
porsche taycan electric car acceleration test on aircraft carrier deck prototype

Electric vehicles benefit from instant torque, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're quick.

The more affordable electric cars, like the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Hyundai Kona Electric, are zippy around town, but nothing to brag about on a drag strip. However, higher-end models like the ones we're looking at here can keep up with some of the most powerful gasoline-burning sports cars in the world -- and in many cases beat them.

Read more
Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally kicks up some dirt
Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally driving on a dirt road.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV pushed the hallowed Mustang nameplate in a different direction, and it's doing that again with a new performance variant. Debuting in 2024, the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally is designed for fun on both pavement and dirt.

Rallying is a form of motorsport where drivers compete to set the quickest time over a course — usually a closed road or trail — rather than a dedicated racetrack that includes a variety of surfaces like dirt, gravel, or even snow. Rallying has inspired some epic performance road cars over the years, including the Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, and Ford's own Focus RS, but it's never really been associated with the Mustang.

Read more