*Set to deliver electric efficiency to urban fleets at the right price
Well, if you can’t beat them, join them! That’s seems to be the philosophy from Ford Pro in Europe as it tackles the challenge from Asian light commercial brands entering this continent with good quality, high-tech, value for money electric powered vans. Conscious of what has come out of South Korea and China in recent times, Ford Motor Company teamed up with one of its long term industry partners JMC, to co develop and produce the new Ford Transit City, a cost effective, emission-free, urban light commercial, designed to cater for multiple requirements.
This sleek looking panel van and chassis cab, bearing today’s Ford styling theme, has a set target audience such as:
- Businesses needing a cost-effective electric van for urban low-emission zone work
- Last mile delivery and multi-drop e-commerce couriers
- Tradespeople; Service, maintenance and repair providers
- Municipal fleets, utilities and building contractors
- Refrigerated delivery
The Electric powertrain created could be described as middle of the road, not too elaborate, heavy or expensive, bearing in mind that most urban commercial operators cover on average 110 kms per day.
New front wheel drive Transit City, built on a dedicated electric platform, has a 56 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with a 110 kW front-mounted motor, offering an estimated driving range up to 254 km. Towing is not an option.
In order to gain maximum usage, the 87 kW DC fast charging (maximum power) system, with an average charging power 67 kW, reboots the battery pack from 10-80 percent in approximately 33 minutes and if a quick pit-stop is necessary, around 50 km of range can be added in a 10-minute charge.
If home charging is the norm, with the 11 kW AC wall box, it can bring up the battery from 10-80 percent charge in around 4.5 hours.
Backed up by a Lower Cost of Ownership package, Transit City has the
potential for reduced energy costs versus diesel, especially through off-peak energy tariffs where available. Ford Pro expects servicing costs to be 40 per cent lower than an equivalent diesel van, with maintenance intervals set at two years or 40,000 km.
Squeezing in between the current E-Transit Custom and the Transit Connect, Transit City, which comes three body styles, standard and large panel van (L1H1 & L2H2) and chassis cab platform, a first for Ford Pro in this segment, and designed for easy conversion. Body fittings like tipper, box, dropside, flatbeds will be the main applications catered for here.
It’s provides a payload of up to 1,275 kg and and length over 3,000 mm for L2H2 variant and space for three Euro pallets. Load volume is up to 8.5 m3.
No shortcomings on the interior from what was seen in the broadcast on the webinar presentation as it has a 12-inch dashboard touchscreen, with multiple connectivity, keyless start, air conditioning, heated driver’s seat and a rear-view camera. A ‘One-pedal drive mode’ is also provided adding to the reduced operating costs. A one-off standard spec/trim level is another key product indicator, keeping the price point down.
To ensure that the Transit City is up to various target market tasks, a series of durability tests were undertaken. The Ford Pro engineers so called ‘torture test’ program recreated 240,000 km and 10 years’ use with the most extreme customer, with an extra focus on toughness of high-usage items like doors, driver’s seat and ignition system.
As a result the warranty on all high-voltage components extends to eight years or 160,000 km.
The Transit City, subject to two years in development will have its order book open in the late Summer with deliveries of the new model pencilled in toward the end of the year.
