Overview
The cargo van-only E-Transit is visually almost indistinguishable from Gas powered transit, but it’s aimed at a different customer base: those who want a zero-emission electric hauler that doesn’t require a lot of driving distance. While #Vanlife Transit Route equivalents are not offered, the E-Transit is available in chassis cab, cutaway and cargo van configurations, allowing it to be tailored to the various needs of commercial customers. Buyers also have to decide between three different roof heights and three different wheelbase lengths. Standard equipment included Ford Sync 4 infotainment system, a host of driver-assist safety technologies such as lane-keep assist and automatic braking, 4G connectivity and vinyl bucket front seats with manual four-way adjustability. Those looking to add a battery-powered full-size van to their fleet have only one vehicle to choose from: this one. It has an estimated range of 126 miles, and a DC fast charger can recharge the battery enough to provide a range of 30 miles in just 10 minutes. The E-Transit range may not seem like much but Ford believes that, for its target customers—dealers and delivery drivers—the range should be sufficient. Sales figures will reveal if the customer agrees.
What’s New for 2023?
The 2023 Ford E-Transit gets minor updates, including two newly available school bus packages and two new exterior color options: Blue Metallic and Blue Mist. Backup alarm options are also now available, including a white noise option, and fixed racks are now offered for high-roof models. Ford has also made a reverse speed limiter standard for all E-Transit models.
Price and Which One to Buy
The cheapest version of the E-Transit is a Cutaway style that has no rear cargo area and is offered to a custom coupler. The best way to go for most users is the cargo van body style.
EV Motors, Power and Performance
The single electric motor pumps out 266 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque; The E-Transit uses a rear-wheel drive setup; all-wheel drive is not available. Straight-line performance isn’t that important to commercial buyers, and Ford hasn’t released any estimated 60 mph times, but we expect the E-Transit to offer great acceleration, at least when unladen. The company says that the E-Transit’s suspension system has been revised from the petrol-powered Transit to improve handling. When we get a chance to test drive the E-Transit, we’ll report our driving impressions here.
Towing and Payload Capacity
Towing capacity for the E-Transit is unknown at this time, but maximum payload for the cargo van is 3880 pounds ranging up to 4513 pounds for the trim model.
Range, Charging and Battery Life
The E-Transit’s battery pack is a 67.0-kWh unit that’s good for driving up to 126 miles per charge, Ford says. The pack is rechargeable using either an AC power outlet or via a DC fast charging station. Ford will provide a portable charger that can be used to charge the E-Transit at home and will also offer a more powerful charging station that can be installed in the buyer’s garage. Otherwise, drivers can re-juice at public charging stations.
Real World Fuel Economy and MPGe
The EPA has not released any estimates for E-Transit fuel savings. When we get a chance to test E-Transit for ourselves, we’ll stick with it our 75-mph highway fuel economy test and update this story with MPGe results and driving distance. For more information on E-Transit fuel savings, visit EPA website.
Interior, Comfort and Cargo
E-Transit will be offered only with seating for two. As a workhorse, the E-Transit’s cabin is utilitarian, with rubber floors, durable plastic trim and cloth seat upholstery. Both standard height and high roof models are offered, as well as regular and extended wheelbase bodies. Cargo space will be plentiful regardless of the body style chosen; the largest extended-wheelbase model with a high roof offers more than 487 cubic feet of cargo space.
Infotainment and Connectivity
All E-Transit models will come standard with a 12.0-inch infotainment system that dwarfs the 4.0-inch display in the regular Transit. It’s bigger and more sophisticated than the regular Transit’s optional 8.0-inch display as it runs Ford’s latest Sync 4 operating system. An onboard 4G LTE modem provides a Wi-Fi hotspot as well as connectivity features for fleet managers, including vehicle telematics. The infotainment system is capable of receiving over-the-air updates.
Safety Features and Driver Assistance
E-Transit comes standard with the suite driver assistance features called Co-Pilot360 with more advanced driver assistance available as an option. For more information about E-Transit crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) website. Key safety features include:
- Standard automatic emergency brake
- Standard lane departure warning with lane keeping assist
- Adaptive cruise control is available with traffic sign recognition
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Ford’s standard warranty package is fairly basic and in line with industry norms. The E-Transit offers an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on its battery components, but Ford doesn’t offer any free scheduled maintenance plans.
- The limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- The battery component warranty covers eight years or 100,000 miles
- No free scheduled maintenance