Ford is continuing its rapid march towards pure electrification, and the company has unveiled a key step that helps push its goals even further in the commercial vehicle segment, the 2022 Ford E-Transit.
Subtle styling tweaks hint at E-Transit’s electron fueled mission
The Ford Transit is the best selling cargo van in the world, and naturally, Ford did not want to rock the boat too much when it came to exterior styling for the E-Transit. As a result, the core design carries over virtually intact. However, the few changes that are present here focuses solely on the front fascia, with the front grille featuring blue grille strakes, as well as a front mounted charging port for charging when the E-Transit is parked at the work site, or at home.
Ford will offer up to eight different body styles for the E-Transit as well as several different roof heights. This allows the E-Transit to seamlessly mesh with its gasoline powered siblings, and also offer the same basic mounting points that upfitters use to customize the van to their specific needs. This subtlety also extends to the interior, with the cabin retaining its function focused design. However, E-Transit drivers benefit from an all new 12-inch infotainment system that comes equipped with Ford’s SYNC 4 software. The system allows the E-Transit to receive Over The Air (OTA) updates, with fleet owners having the ability to unlock other additional features.
Leading the way in performance
The E-Transit is currently in a slice of the van segment that it shares with nobody else, and that means having a tremendous advantage in performance. Ford claims that the electrified powertrain produces 266 horsepower and a solid 317 lb-ft of torque. That’s not too far off from the numbers generated by its 3.5 liter gasoline engine, and should give the E-Transit plenty of muscle for a wide variety of tasks.
Ford equipped the van with a 67 kilowatt battery, and actually mounted the battery pack under the rear cargo floor. This allows the electrified van to retain its segment leading cargo capacity figures, and reduced the amount of compromises that exist between it and a gasoline powered transit. Thankfully, range is not an issue, with company reps claiming that the battery allows the E-Transit to boast a 126 mile driving range. That might seem a bit paltry at first glance, but reps claim that the bulk of delivery routes are roughly 50 miles each day, so in practice that should give the E-Transit enough juice to do a full day’s work.
The van also supports AC and DC type fast charging, and Ford revealed that a properly equipped DC Charger can restore 45 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Along with the charging capability, the E-Transit will also offer Ford’s Pro Power On Board System which allows the Transit to serve as a power hub for tools and other pieces of equipment out on the job site.
When can I buy an E-Transit?
While the 2022 Ford E-Transit made a splash in its virtual unveiling earlier today, buyers looking to formally purchase one will have to wait a bit for the chance. The Blue Oval revealed that the model will not roll out to inventory lots until late 2021, but when it does, the base model will begin at just under $45,000 before any federal tax credits are applied to the van. If that happens, that figure could be as low as $40,000 or so which further enhances the E-Transit’s appeal.
As for its rivals, they offer no immediate competitor for the moment. With GM still using the ancient Chevrolet Express and Ram not having any immediate plans to offer a similar version of its ProMaster van, Ford has the market all to itself. That said, Ram would actually be the one that we’ll keep an eye on for any sort of response. The march towards it being a part of the newly minted Stellantis mega merger is proceeding quickly, and PSA could perhaps help Ram develop an electric system that would work with some of its Italian hardware.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.