Ford E-Transit confirmed for Australia as brand’s first electric car, more to follow

Ford’s first electric vehicle in Australia will be the E-Transit van, due next year – with more electric and hybrid models due over the coming years.

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Ford Australia has confirmed it will launch its first electric vehicle in Australia mid-next year, the 2022 Ford E-Transit van.

The new E-Transit will be one of at least five new hybrid or electric vehicles confirmed for Australia by the end of 2024, joining the Escape plug-in hybrid SUV – though the Mustang Mach-E mid-size performance SUV remains no closer to showrooms (click here for more details).

Slated for a local launch in mid-2022, the E-Transit will launch in Australia in rear-wheel-drive, long-wheelbase 420L guise – and while prices are yet to be confirmed, translating overseas pricing to Australia suggests local prices could start between $75,000 and $80,000 before on-road costs.

Ford Australia has confirmed the vehicle will be sold through its traditional dealer network, rather than using a fixed-price online sales model like those being adopted by Hyundai and its latest Ioniq 5 electric SUV.

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Powering the van is a 198kW/430Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels – making it the most powerful Transit on sale – mated to a 68kWh (net) battery capacity beneath the floor. Ford claims 317km of driving range on Europe’s WLTP test cycle, said to be 2.5 times the average daily distance covered by a commercial van.

DC fast charging at up to 115kW allows for a 15 to 80 per cent charge in 34 minutes, while 11.3kW AC charging from a home wallbox can provide a 100 per cent charge in 8.2 hours.

Ford quotes 11.3 and 12.4 cubic metres of cargo capacity in mid-roof and high-roof guises available in Australia – identical to an equivalent diesel Transit 350L RWD – while 4.2-tonne gross vehicle mass and 1616kg payload figures are also claimed.

A 12-inch Sync 4 touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite navigation and over-the-air updates will be available in Australia. Other highlights include Normal, Eco and Slippery drive modes, Pre-Conditioning functionality allowing drivers to set the cabin temperature while the vehicle charges, and a rear suspension design specific to the E-Transit.

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Ford’s typical five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty will carry over to the E-Transit, along with an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the battery and other high-voltage components.

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Ford Australia hybrid and electric vehicle rollout detailed

Kicking off Ford Australia’s introduction of hybrid and electric cars will be the Escape PHEV (plug-in hybrid) mid-size SUV in early 2022, followed by the aforementioned E-Transit electric van in mid-2022.

“At least” three additional plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles will be launched in Australia by the end of 2024 – though the brand is yet to confirm how many additional vehicles beyond the initial five will be offered locally.

Overwhelming global demand means the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV remains off-limits to local buyers – with no date set on when supply for right-hand-drive supply will free up for an Australian launch – while the F-150 Lightning electric pick-up is not built in right-hand-drive, and isn’t in line to come Down Under.

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While the brand remains quiet on which vehicles from its global electrified portfolio will make it to Australia, it notes that its five-plus new launches will be “largely” comprised of full battery-electric vehicles, rather than plug-in hybrids – suggesting at least three battery-electric cars for local roads.

Traditional ‘parallel’ hybrids (as used by Toyota) and lesser mild-hybrids are under consideration, with Birkic stating: “we remain open to all different types of powertrains and technologies.”

Ford of Europe has confirmed plans to launch a new small electric car based on Volkswagen’s MEB modular architecture, set to be introduced in 2023, and manufactured in the same Cologne plant as today’s Fiesta city car.

An electrified version of the next-generation Ranger ute has been confirmed, widely expected to be a plug-in hybrid, while hybrid versions of various Ford passenger cars, utes and vans are also available in other markets.

However, the remaining three-plus Australia-bound hybrid and electric Ford cars are yet to be identified or detailed.

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“We certainly as part of our planning process need to look at those [mystery electrified models], and have a perspective [on what they are], yes,” Ford Australia president and CEO Andrew Birkic told Australian media today.

When pressed on the exact number of electrified Fords (beyond five) coming to Australia by 2025, Birkic added: “I’m not going to give [you] a number, but what I can tell you is we will look at the opportunities and what we see happening globally. We also need to get feedback from our customers and our dealers as we introduce these models.”

As part of its Australian rollout, Ford Australia will work with charging station supplier Jet Charge to install charging stations across its dealer network, Campbellfield headquarters, You Yangs proving ground, and Merrifield logistics centre. The brand will also train its dealers on servicing and maintenance of electric vehicles.

Stay tuned to Drive for all the latest on the Ford E-Transit and all of its future electric and hybrid vehicles.

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