Does not lose load capacity compared to diesel
If you are here it is because you are interested in this world of electric vans. It is likely that you even have a diesel van and are thinking of making the leap to a model like the one in this test, a Ford E-Transit.
The truth is that on paper it is striking that a vehicle of these dimensions has not received an electric variant before, but I suppose that the thinking heads of Detroit knew more things than us.
In any case, here I am behind the wheel of an electric Ford Transit driving along a Penedés road as if I had been doing it all my life: a few years ago everything was something different, but now I am driving a 5.98 meter long van with 2 .68 tall isn’t too different from driving a big tourer.
Design and interior: to spend hours
It’s not like I’m used to driving a lot of vans, let alone this size, but I find the cabin comfortable and spacious. In the center of the dashboard there is a large 12-inch screen that is not bad for size, although the most interesting thing is that it mounts the SYNC 4 system.
When you drive, everything is at your fingertips. It is true that there is not much, but what you may need is within your reach without having to move too much. Here the catch is the same as always: by putting all the controls on the screen, the naturalness and immediacy that having physical controls for the browser, for example, gives you is lost.
But beyond that, there are many usable holes to leave everything, from the mobile to delivery notes or small packages, and under the front twin seat there is another hole to leave, for example, the charging cable.
The driver’s seat is power, which is great, but the two passenger seats use a fixed configuration. By posture and shape it is not bad, but some possibility of configuration would not hurt.
Engine and performance
Although I am testing a FT 350 L3 H3 single cab van (three seats), Ford offers the usual versions with three lengths (L2, L2 and L4) and two heights (L2 and L3), as well as a double cab (six people). more load or chassis cab with which you can use the variant that suits you best.
There are also two types of motors. Both are powered by a useful 68 kWh battery – 8 years/160,000 km warranty – which is located between the two axles. It measures 2.12 meters long, 1.47 wide and 20 cm thick and sends electricity to the rear wheels, which is where the motor is located.
As for the load, it accepts 11 kW AC (10-100% in about seven hours) and also 115 kW in DC that can go from 15 to 80% in 34 minutes.
This can have two powers: 184 CV, which is the E-Transit that I am testing, and another variant of 269 CV. Both have 430 Nm, but the difference is in the delivery of force: If you plan to carry a heavy load, you will be more interested in the most powerful one.
How do you drive?
During the test I have had no problems despite the fact that a six meter vehicle is not my usual menu. It handles well, has a pretty decent turning radius, and the large rear-view mirrors give you good control over everything around you.
The maximum speed that the E-Transit can reach is 130 km/h, although the one I had in hand was limited to 100 per hour. It is a free option that may be of interest to fleet managers to avoid fines, scares or excessive consumption. By the way, there is also the possibility of lowering the limiter to 90.
When pushing hard, which is something that few will surely do, the thrust is not to shoot rockets, but it is not bad either. It picks up speed with agility (for a 3,500kg N1 cargo van) and although the cargo area was empty, it doesn’t roll or pitch much.
The autonomy is what it is: an H3 L3 like the one I have, 243 km (WLTP), although there are versions that reach 305 km.
In any case, without driving particularly economically (although there is an Eco mode, apart from Normal and another for situations with low grip), the computer gave me a consumption of about 23-24 kWh/100 km, which is not particularly far of some electric SUV that dangerously touches the 20…
What is most striking is that you drive in total silence, which, on the other hand, is the only difference that you will notice compared to a Transit diesel, because everything else has the typical Transit feel: from the weight of the steering wheel to the brake response.
In this section, perhaps what I liked the least about the test was the feel of the pedal when it came to stopping the 2,545 kilos it weighs. Not from lack of strength, but from touch: fluffier than I expected. Perhaps it is a compromise between the action of the hydraulic brakes and the electric brake…
As for ride comfort, it’s not like it’s a Ford Explorer, but it’s not bad. As is logical, it is designed to carry a load, so it is better to take it easy when empty potholes. But in front it has a McPherson system and behind an independent system that improves, and much, the behavior.
How much does a Ford E-Transit cost?
Now is when the tears come, because the price of the Ford E-Transit starts at, sit down now, 70,170 euros. It’s amazing, true, but you also have to see it from the point of view of final costs: Ford estimates them at 50% those of the diesel Transit…
… although of course, you have the 2.0 Ecoblue propulsion version with 170 hp and automatic transmission for less than half. Without a doubt, it fits you in the medium term if you do a lot of city, but the price is there.
Of course: in return you will enjoy equipment that in a normal car would make you raise an eyebrow, such as the automatic transmission (logical), browser, electric seats, connected system, etc.
Regarding the latter, Ford Pro has developed an ecosystem that can be interesting, as they offer advisory services for the purchase of an electric commercial and free fleet management applications and programs, although there are also more complete payment options for prices affordable: about 20 euros per vehicle.
