Ford E-Transit
Ford has started delivering the E-Transit van, the all-electric version of the best-selling van in the United States, to Penske Truck Leasing and National Grid. Both have taken delivery of preproduction units of the E-Transit van with plans to use early learnings that will help deployment into their operations when the EV arrives to market in 2022.
Operating as part of company fleets, these E-Transit pilot vans will give companies the opportunity to experience how battery-powered vehicles coupled with Ford Pro Intelligence and Ford Pro Charging solutions can help improve efficiencies.
Participating companies will deploy vehicles in specific applications to evaluate performance, identify the best route types, and explore charging solutions.
Penske has deployed an E-Transit van in the Reading, Pennsylvania, area. Penske plans to evaluate and validate E-Transit van capabilities, driving experience and charging strategy for specific applications, including rentals to small- and medium-sized commercial businesses.
National Grid, a global energy management company and operator of several utility conglomerates, recently took delivery of a preproduction low-roof E-Transit cargo van that it will test on regular home meter-reading routes to ensure it can perform the same operations now performed by the company’s gas-powered vehicles.
Ford Pro will use feedback and data from the pilot program to validate real-world vehicle performance across a broad range of use cases, upfits, temperatures and driving environments to continue to refine products and develop additional training tools.
The E-Transit will be assembled alongside Transit at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant. The E-Transit van is designed to serve a wide range of commercial industries, providing customers a choice of eight configurations, including a cargo van with three roof heights and three lengths, plus chassis cab and cutaway versions.
E-Transit production will begin later this year, with vehicles arriving at dealerships in early 2022.