Ford has confirmed its smallest van will go electric next year with the arrival of the new E-Transit Courier – but don’t expect it to be cheap.
The brand’s littlest commercial vehicle – which is extremely popular among delivery services and small business owners – will join the E-Transit and E-Transit Custom in 2024 as Ford continues to electrifying its van line-up.
No details regarding its price, battery size or single-charge range has been announced – and despite our best efforts to squeeze the information out of the UK department, no official figures will be confirmed until closer to the van’s launch.
However, the blue oval marque has said it will have a single electric motor producing 134bhp, limited top speed of 90mph and charge up to speeds of 100kW – that means a rapid charger should boost the battery from 10 to 80 per cent charge in around 35 minutes.
Helping white van man go green: Ford has confirmed its smallest van will go electric next year with the arrival of the new E-Transit Courier – but don’t expect it to be cheap
The new E-Transit Courier will join the E-Transit and E-Transit Custom in late 2024 as Ford continues to electrifying its van line-up
The next-generation Transit Courier won’t be sold exclusively as an EV – it will also come with the choice of petrol and diesel engines.
Pricing is likely to start slightly higher than the model it replaces, which currently costs £18,050 before VAT.
Currently, the only electric Ford commercial vehicle available for sale is the full-size E-Transit – and with a starting price of £48,045, it has a £10k premium on the entry internal combustion engine version.
That means the E-Transit Courier with a similar premium could likely cost in the region of £25,000 to £30,000.
The battery powered van will not enter production until the second half of 2024, though the petrol and diesel models will be available to order this summer with delivery before the end of the year.
With the battery capable of 100kW DC fast charging, drivers will be able to add 54 miles of range in a short 10 minute charge.
The battery pack itself will be mounted into the chassis floor, as to not encroach on valuable loading space.
The next-generation Transit Courier won’t be sold exclusively as an EV – it will also come with the choice of petrol and diesel engines
Models will come with a pair of 12-inch screens – one being the digital instrument cluster for the driver and the other an infotainment display
The Transit Courier is Ford’s littlest commercial vehicle and is extremely popular among delivery services and small business owners
‘E-Transit Courier moves its segment up a level with uncompromised EV performance, higher load capacity and fully connected support including end-to-end charging solutions,’ explains Hans Schep, general manager at Ford Pro Europe.
‘Ford Pro’s long-standing market leadership gives us unrivalled insight into customers’ needs and means we can help them get big productivity from their compact vans with more connectivity and capability than ever before.’
For those who are not yet happy to make the transition to an electric van, the powertrain options also include a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol with 123bhp.
For those looking for better MPG, a 1.5-litre diesel engine will also be available with 99bhp.
In terms of loading space, the new Transit Courier will offer more practicality than the model it replaces.
The load floor is 182mm longer and there’s an additional 200mm between the wheelarches. The roof height is also marginally higher (9mm increase).
The increase in size means there is plenty of space to fit a 1200 x 800mm Euro pallet
As well as being longer, the loading area is has an additional 200mm between the wheelarches. The roof height is also marginally higher (9mm increase)
One new feature is a square hatch behind the passenger seat. When not in use, the seat back can be folded forwards and the opening used to transport longer items, such as ladders.
Those who opt for the E-Transit Courier over a petrol or diesel version will also get an extra 44 litres of space in the front compartment left empty by the deletion of a combustion engine.
That should provide enough room for tools and smaller items.
The E-Transit Courier’s payload is said to be 700kg, while the petrol and diesel versions come with 678kg – though there will be an option to increase this to 845kg.
What is likely to increase the van’s price over the outgoing vehicle is the array of new technology.
Models will come with a pair of 12-inch screens – one being the digital instrument cluster for the driver and the other an infotainment display.
The latter will be equipped with Ford’s latest SYNC4 in-house system, which is compatible with wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play.
One new feature is this square hatch panel behind the passenger sea…
When not in use, the seat back can be folded forwards and the opening used to transport longer items, such as ladders
The E-Transit Courier will feature Ford’s latest SYNC4 in-house system, which is compatible with wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play
The Transit Courier will also debut a ‘class-unique’ Office Pack.
This adds a foldaway flat work table and additional interior lighting so that owners can use their laptop, file paperwork and take breaks in the back of their van.
The Courier will also come equipped with the latest safety and assistance features, including adaptive cruise control, lane assist, blind spot warning, reverse brake assist and pedestrian alerts.
Telling the E-Transit Courier from versions with a petrol or diesel engine will be relatively easy – the electric variant gets unique headlights and a flat honeycomb-style grille.
The latter will be very different to the ‘active grille shutters’ on the internal combustion engine versions – these open and close depending on whether the engine needs more cooling or to improve aerodynamic performance when travelling at higher speeds on motorways.
