Ford Unveils Its Electric Delivery Van

Ford has said as many as one in four cars its sells by 2020 will be electrified. It took a big step toward that goal today when it unveiled an electric delivery van that will be available by the end of this year.

The Transit Connect Electric is the first vehicle built under what Ford calls its “accelerated electrified vehicle plan” that includes the electric Ford Focus we’ll see next year and a plug-in hybrid slated for 2012.

The e-van swaps the engine and fuel tank in the 2010 North American Truck of the Year in favor of a 28 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor. Beyond that, it’s identical to the gasoline model and has similar acceleration and top speed (75 mph). It has a claimed range of 80 miles and “optimal recharging” in six to eight hours. We suspect that’s what it takes plugged into a 220-volt outlet, though you can also use a 110.

“Not only is this an ideal vehicle for ec0-conscious fleet operators, it is an important part of Ford’s future,” said Derrick Kuzak, vp of global product development.

That’s because hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles will play an increasingly important role at Ford. The company expects 20 to 25 percent of its cars to have an electric drivetrain of some kind by 2020. It’s pushing the Transit Connect Electric as ideal fleet use by, say, the U.S. Postal Service because such vehicles typically follow short, predictable routes and are housed in centralized locations that make charging a snap. What’s more, Ford says, electric vehicles are cost-effective in the long run because they require little maintenance and they’re dirt cheap to operate.

“We’re excited about the potential for our electrified vehicles,” said Praveen Cherian, program manager for the electric Transit Connect. He likens the vehicle to a hybrid and says, “People were a little hesitant about hybrid technology at first, but now they embrace and accept it. We expect the same to be true of electric vehicles.”

Ford also unveiled a Transit Connect tailored for use as a taxi, though it seems to us an electric van would make a perfect cab. After all, they’re trying it in London.

Posted in: Electric,Ford,Van