Here is Ford’s second fully electric van, which will make its commercial debut starting in the summer of 2023. The new generation of Transit Custom will be electrified in all its versions, from micro-hybrid diesels to the fully electric that we now know.
Ford Pro, the commercial vehicle division of the blue oval, shows the first images of Ford E-Transit Custom, its second 100% electric commercial vehicle, with more than a year to go before serial production begins. It will leave the factory in Turkey in the second half of 2023.
This model is from the next generation of Ford Transit Custom, since the current one dates from 2012. In the new generation the electric version It will continue to coexist with versions with an internal combustion engine but with some type of hybridization, either light (MHEV) or plug-in (PHEV).
In the images we can see a light signature that will clearly distinguish the electric version from the hybrids, which runs horizontally along the nose, above the partially closed grille, while at the rear the verticality between the hinges of the double leaf gate.
The first images correspond to the van model (category N1, light commercial) in the shortest length and with the standard roof. The unit in question appears to be front-wheel drive and with a rigid rear axle, unlike its older sister, E-Transit, engine and rear-wheel drive with independent suspension.
After all, it is not the same at the engineering level to adapt a chassis designed for thermal engines and electrify it, which is what has happened with E-Transit, than to make a new development in which all this is taken into account. In theory, Ford Pro has been able to improve the packaging on the midsize model, the Transit Custom.
At the moment the manufacturer has not given much information and We will have to wait until September to have more information. It is also pending to see the version with tourism homologation (E-Tourneo Custom), as well as the Kombi, minibus or Nugget (camper) versions based on this platform.
From its electrical system we can tell you that it has the recharging port under one of the front lights -the pre-production model shown has the steering wheel and the connector on the right- and supports fast recharging in direct current. Ford does not indicate the power, but it has to be a minimum of 50 kW; E-Transit supports up to 125 kW.
The autonomy of the batteries, of unknown capacity, will allow driving up to 380 kilometers. The figure is not final and could change at the end of the homologation, but we assume that they refer to the WLTP urban cycle. Considering the segment in which it will militate, it is a good autonomy. Also will allow towing.
Another interesting element is the Ford Pro Power Onboard, a 2.3 kW alternating current socket that is installed in the rear of the van and allows powering any electrical equipment, from electronics to tools to work on site. We do not know if in E-Transit Custom it will give more power than in E-Transit.
But this model is more than just a van, it is a connected van with a 4G modem and a Ford telematics platform. In its basic mode, it allows you to know your elementary mechanical health status, and in the advanced version, it is integrated into a fleet control ecosystem that is currently unrivaled in its category.
The dashboard screen -there are no images of the interior yet- is more than just an infotainment system, as it happens in E-Transit, it is also a productivity tool for the professional and has integration with another branch of Ford Pro, which is the recharging ecosystem, integrating public and private recharging.
With this model Ford Pro has the same approach as with E-Transit, making the transition from diesel to electric vans “effortless”. Ford Pro takes care of everything: vehicle, technical service, financing, telematic solutions and recharging, all in a personalized offer for each client.