Here's Everything We Know About the 2021 Ford Transit Electric Van

author: Manish Kharinta   

The Ford Transit Smart Energy concept electric van

During the "Go Further" event in Amsterdam earlier this week, American automaker Ford Motor Co announced it plans on introducing the new all-electric Transit van in Europe by 2021.

The company said that this would be a volume launch and the prototype of the Ford Transit Electric was present during the event.

In a press release, Ford reiterated that the Transit Electric was designed to be a zero-emission practical and versatile load-carrier, which will cater to the requirement of delivery businesses and related services.

The company added that the electric van will be capable of functioning in tough urban operating conditions, without compromising on the driving range.

Although the company said that the new Transit Electric will offer sufficient range, it refrained from disclosing the exact figure.

The 2021 all-electric Transit van will be offered in multiple body styles and will feature built-in connectivity. Ford also said that the electric van will be capable of operating reliably and businesses will not be forced to make compromises with their cargo.

Ford is the contracted manufacturer for courier and logistics company DHL and is currently producing battery-powered vans built on the Transit chassis for DHL's StreetScooter project. Ford said that its joint project with DHL subsidiary StreetScooter has proven to be a successful solution targeting the last mile delivery sector.

In late 2018, Ford commenced the production of Deutsche Post StreetScooter WORK XL electric vans in Cologne, Germany. These vans were capable of offering up to 124 miles (200 km) of range and featured a 76 kWh battery pack.

Ford also has a Transit Smart Energy 10-seater minibus concept which also uses the battery-powered electric drivetrain of StreetScooter work XL and the chassis of Transit electric.

The minibus concept gets a driving range of 93 miles (150 km) and the battery pack can be fully recharged in just 4 hours.

The Smart Energy concept uses an innovative heat pump system that extends the range of the minibus by 20 percent. This is achieved by using outside air, air within the cabin and excess heat from the powertrain to reduce heating system energy consumption by up to 65 percent.

The concept also gets six roof-mounted solar panels which power electrical accessories inside the cabin, including seat-heaters, wireless mobile chargers, and interior lighting.

Ford plans to start road testing the production version of Transit Smart Energy concept sometime later this year, after finishing wind tunnel tests.

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.