The company has also announced it will give local customers the choice of at least five new electric vehicles by the end of 2024.
“We are accelerating our electrified future in Australia,” said Andrew Birkic, president and CEO, Ford Australia and New Zealand. “For business customers, E-Transit delivers the durability and capability they need to serve their customers, along with zero-emissions efficiency.”
E-Transit has a driving range of up to 317 kms and the move could see the first locally produced electric campervans and motorhomes in the market by late 2022 or early 2023. The new model will arrive in Australia in rear-wheel drive 420L long wheel-base configuration from mid-2022 (after the Escape PHEV makes its debut as Ford’s first locally available plug-in hybrid variant).
With a usable battery capacity of 68 kWh, E-Transit’s estimated driving range should see it capable of realistic East Coast touring, to begin with. The vehicle’s electric motor has a peak output of 198 kW and 430 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful Transit currently available in Australia. Its rear-wheel drive layout also ensures positive traction when heavily laden.
E-Transit’s drive modes are tailored to its electric powertrain. A special Eco Mode can provide between eight and 10 per cent improvement in energy usage if E-Transit is driven unladen or at highway speeds. Eco Mode limits top speed, regulates acceleration and optimises climate control to help maximise the available driving range.
The vehicle also supports Scheduled Pre-Conditioning, enabling the climate control system to be programmed to adjust the cabin to the preferred temperature while the vehicle is still on charge, ensuring that the maximum driving range is available.
E-Transit features both AC charging and DC fast-charging. The vehicle’s 11.3 kW on-board charger is capable of delivering a 100% charge in up to 8.2 hours. Charging with up to 115 kW using a high-power DC fast-charger, E-Transit can top-up the battery from 15% to 80% in around 34 minutes.
Ford says its engineers designed E-Transit’s driveline and rear suspension to optimise cargo space. By locating the battery underneath the body and creating a heavy-duty semi-trailing arm suspension system, it enables better steering precision and more confident handling, plus better traction in both laden and unladen conditions. This also provides a cargo capacity of up to 11.3 cubic metres in mid-roof specification and 12.4 cubic metres for the high roof version, both of which are identical to the Transit 350L RWD diesel equivalents. Gross vehicle mass of up to 4.2 tonnes is offered, with a targeted payload of 1,616 kg.
Customers will also benefit from Ford’s five-year, unlimited kilometre service offering that sits alongside the eight-year, 160,000 km warranty package for the battery and high-voltage electric components. Full model specification and pricing details for the E-Transit will be announced closer to its Australian market launch.
Meanwhile, official industry figures show sales of pure electric vehicles are growing at a faster pace than plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), meaning Australians are more interested in fully electric vehicles than those that straddle the battery/internal combustion engine world.