Review Ford E-Transit 2023 | auto expert

Life is getting better for van drivers.

They spend more time than most people on the road, but for a long time, they are forced to do it in shacks that lack the same safety equipment as normal hitters going from home to place. work and come back every day.

Well, it’s time to meet the new van. Along with a full range of active safety features to help ease the burden on busy drivers who have to stay behind the wheel for long periods of time, the latest trucks will be electric.

Instead of the diesel rattle that comes with Ford Transit during his 78-year life, Electronic transit you see here humming like a big, white spaceship.

There’s a lot about electric power that makes it a natural fit for commercial vehicles like the Transit. With plenty of torque, the electric motor transports heavy loads very well, and the lack of noise pollution and local emissions is beneficial if you have to make multiple stops in the city.

Of course, being able to actually reach the destination is also key for van drivers. Scope anxiety, anyone?

We had a brief moment behind the wheel of the new Ford E-Transit to see what the future of the average man with a truck would look like.

How much does the Ford E-Transit cost?

E-Transit starts at $104,990 before on-road expenses and options, with the High Roof model adding $1500 to that number.

That comfortably knocks out E-Transit’s only real rival, LDV eDeliver 9 ($116,537).

It’s also just $50,000 more than the starting point for the existing diesel Transit line. Yes, you will save money on diesel, but there will be other incentives to switch to electricity beyond pure value.

There are a few options, however. The prestige paint color is $700, a single passenger seat in place of the standard three-seat bench is $150 and the side doors will cost you $1000.

what How is the Ford E-Transit on the inside?

Noise aside, there’s no doubt this is a Transit from behind the wheel.

You sit high, looking down at the chubby little bonnet, and the only real change between the diesel and electric is the switch from tachometer to power meter. Well, that’s the swap from a gasoline bowser to a little battery icon on the fuel gauge.

That’s not a bad thing. For starters, forcing drivers who’ve spent thousands of hours behind the wheel of diesel trucks to relearn everything is a surefire way to get them offside. Other than that, the Transit doesn’t have much to go wrong with it as a base.

The three-seater bench is generously padded, and has only There’s enough room in there to accommodate long-legged drivers, and the steering wheel juts out nicely to satisfy the driver. It’s not a Range Roverbut it seems to be a good place to spend time in the long run.

There are five cup holders, two bottle holders, two 12V outlets, and one USB-A and one USB-C plug in the front, so there’s no reason for drivers or their devices to run out of battery.

There are also large door pockets, a roof slot for documents, plenty of space on the dashboard, and a large glove box.

Ford’s latest SYNC infotainment software is great forest rangerwhere it is displayed on a vertically oriented screen.

Here it sits on a widescreen that responds to inputs quickly, has wireless Apple CarPlay, and includes a bunch of EV-focused displays.

As is the case with the broader Blue Oval range, the E-Transit has FordPass-connected services.

Users can check remaining range/charge status from their phone, plan a trip and send the trip to their car’s navigation, and find nearby charging stations using PlugShare data.

Currently, Ford allows one app to drive multiple vehicles, but doesn’t provide a comprehensive fleet telecommunications system. Obviously, something is being done in Europe.

The rear download bay is, predictably, huge. There are eight fastening points and access thanks to a large sliding side door and barn door at the rear.

Those barn doors can be locked to prevent them from being blown shut by the wind and make it easy to load the truck from the loading dock or use a forklift.

The LED lights above the luggage compartment are a nice touch and can be turned on with the rubber button on the right door.

Ford says the fact that the Transit shares part of the bodywork and platform with the diesel model makes it easier to customize the cargo compartment with shelves, drawers, bulkheads, etc., basically anything. you need to get your goods where they need to be.

What’s under the bonnet?

E-Transit uses a 68kWh battery, good for a driving range up to 307km on the WLTP test cycle more closely.

Its only electric motor generates 198kW power and 430Nm of torque.

Some of those numbers sound familiar and are not random; The E-Transit shares part of its electric powertrain with Mustang Mach-E The SUV was recently confirmed for Australia.

E-Transit supports both AC charging and DC fast charging. The 11.3 kW integrated charger can charge 100% in up to 8.2 hours using AC power, while the E-Transit can be charged at up to 115 kW using a DC fast charger.

That means the battery can be taken from 15 to 80 percent in about 34 minutes.

How to Drive Ford E-Transit?

We’ve said that before, but it’s odd that there’s no diesel path when you push the start button in the E-Transit.

Not even a humming or squealing from the electric motor, the car is ready to go. It stays silent as the speed increases.

Ford has really worked hard to improve noise and vibration suppression compared to the diesel model, as none of the engine noises overwhelm the squeaks, rattles or other sounds.

It worked, at least compared to the average truck. There’s very little echo from the wide-open load bay thanks to the load splitter, and the only real knock to speed refinement is a bit of noise from the oversized rearview mirror.

Put your feet down and there’s no Tesla-style shove in the back. The engine in the Transit delivers smooth and quiet torque, and it’s very linear when accelerating.

You won’t damage precious cargo with a slam into the right pedal, which can only be a good thing, but we did expect it to feel a bit more vivacious.

The regenerative braking system can be toggled through several modes, but it’s always a bit awkward. The brake pedal is high and quite soft, and the regeneration process won’t bring the car to a complete stop – you need to use the pedal as you crawl instead.

It takes a bit of practice to stop smoothly, although with more time behind the wheel, the driver will certainly adjust to what is needed.

Aside from the brakes, the learning curve here is pretty shallow. The steering has the right weight to get around the city, and the large windows mean forward visibility is excellent.

The reversing camera is nice and clear, and provides a panoramic view of the rear bumper, making it easier to maneuver into tight parking spots (or up to the cargo holds).

Large mirrors are welcomed and Ford’s driver aids – especially blind-spot assist, due to the lack of rear windows – are useful in the city, where cyclists and smaller cars can You can get lost next to a Transit.

At higher speeds, it’s nice and stable. While our 100 km/h run was rather limited, the E-Transit didn’t feel like it was slipping or like being blown away by passing trucks. Ford’s adaptive cruise control is also smooth and intelligent.

As for the ride quality? The E-Transit drives like an unladen commercial vehicle, meaning it’s a bit stiffer than the average family car on the rear axle as it needs to be able to support a significant payload. With that said, it’s a pretty comfortable place to spend time compared to other large unladen trucks.

And scope question? Our ride was short, but we saw an energy consumption of 23kWh/100km the first time behind the wheel and around 26kWh/100km the second time around.

That higher consumption figure equates to a driving range of about 260 km. For its part, Ford says loading the E-Transit up to maximum payload shouldn’t eat too much into the range offered, as aerodynamics is the EV range’s bigger enemy than weight.

What do you get?

Highlights of Electronic Traffic:

• sliding side door
• Rear barn door
• Household charging cable 32A
• 12.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Apple CarPlay Wireless, Android Auto
• Satellite positioning
• DAB + digital radio
• FordPass Connect Service
• Fabric seat covers
• 16 inch wheels

To be Is the Ford E-Transit safe?

The Ford E-Transit has not been crash tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
  • including pedestrian detection
  • including junction support
• Blind spot monitoring
• Blind spot support
• Lane keeping assist
• Reverse camera
• Rear parking sensor

how much Ford E-Transit cost to run?

E-Transit is powered by the same 5 year unlimited km warranty like the wider range of Ford Australia.

The lithium-ion battery pack and high-voltage system are covered by an 8-year, 160,000 km warranty.

CarExpert undertakes Ford E-Transit

Without a doubt, the E-Transit is an easier van to drive than its diesel equivalent.

It’s smooth and quiet, as you’d expect, with the rest of the polish you’d expect of a nameplate ending on its 80th birthday. Undoubtedly, it will be well suited to certain types of urban delivery drivers.

The big question mark hanging over the head is the willingness of the world’s fleets and private contractors to mass adopt battery-powered trucks – and how they need to adjust their long-term driving habits. for the new world order to work.

Ford knows it, which is why a segment of the E-Transit launch presentation was dedicated to how it was interested in working with buyers to understand the vehicle’s fit. How do they work?

Yes, it’s cheaper than its LDV rival, but it’s very expensive compared to diesel trucks – so you’ll need to think long and hard about what you’re saving and why you’re using electricity.

This is without a doubt a better looking truck than the ones before it, but there are still a lot of questions to be answered about the E-Transit – and electric commercial vehicles in general.

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THAN: Ford Transit