Ford Launches Its First Electric Vehicle
Ford is lining up the buyers for its new electric Transit Connect cargo van. They've identified seven companies and utilities that will be purchasing the electric vehicle to go into fleets.
"Fleets have a lot of advantages for a vehicle like this that requires a lot of extra care and feeding," says Ford Chief Engineer Scott Staley. "For example, fleets have trained drivers, who know how to operate the vehicle. They also have defined routes. Often time the routes are the same over and over."
Fleets also have regular down time to allow for charging of electric vehicles. Ford says most delivery vehicles drive less than forty one miles per day. The electric Transit Connect will have a range of about 80 miles.
Ford is providing the Transit Connect body, and working with suppliers Azure Dynamics and AM General to engineer and build the Electric Transit Connect at a new facility in Livonia.
The Transit Connect EV is Ford's first electric vehicle. It will be followed by an electric Ford Focus next year, and a plug in hybrid in 2013.
WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert drives the Transit Connect Electric at the Chicago Auto Show.
The electric Transit Connect will cost $57,400 and will be sold in very low numbers. They only expect to build between 600 and 700 a year.
But Marakby says the work they do developing this vehicle, will help them with other electrics.
"There's a tremendous amount of knowledge that we gained doing this that will go into the Focus electric," he said. "And, even our plug-ins, because remember the plug in is half electric."
"It's a piece of the solution," said Ford director of electrification programs Sherif Marakby. "Electrification is not the only solution."
Ford didn't announce any new customers today. Customers that have been previously announced include ATT, Southern California Edison, Xcel Energy, Johnson Controls Inc., New York Power Authority, Canada Post and Toronto Atmospheric Fund EV300.
Ford is hoping the U.S. government will be interested in the electric Transit connect, feeling it would work well in closed environments, like military bases, and for the Postal Service. Letter carriers, on average, only drive about 40 miles per day.
