Fords new electric van
The Ford Motor company are the first major auto manufacturer to announce the release of a fully battery powered light commercial vehicle. The new battery powered Transit Connect EV will first be introduced to the US market in the second half of 2010. The technology is already in use by Smith Electric Vehicles a UK company who currently has a range of battery powered vans for sale based on the Ford Transit.
The Ford /Smith eco friendly van produces zero emissions and is capable of travelling at speeds of up to 70mph. It’s both quieter and smoother to drive than its diesel equivalent and also has a much quicker acceleration from 0-30mph. A single battery charge will allow the van to cover a distance of 100miles and should you require a top-up whilst out on the road, there is an onboard charger that can be utilized.
Battery powered vehicles comes with certain benefits, for example; if you live in the London area there is no congestion charge, there are no yearly oil filter changes and at present there is no yearly MOT certificate required. The 100% battery powered vehicle takes between 8-10 hours to charge or quicker if you have a 3 phase power supply handy. At a time of soaring petrol costs the battery powered van should be an attractive alternative for many businesses as it has low running costs of just £0.04 per mile which is a huge saving over petrol or diesel engine vans. The vehicle is powered by a Lithium-Ion Iron Phosphate battery which is twice as efficient as a lead acid battery and a 1/3 lighter in weight.
The rage of vans currently offered by Smith Electric extend from the 2.3t Amper van based on the Transit Connect up to the largest van which is a 12t model that comes in a range of body configurations.
If you still think it doesn’t sound like the kind of vehicle that will catch on then think again. Smith Electric already have a portfolio of big names using their electric powered vehicle such as Sainsbury’s, TNT, DHL, Open Reach / part of the BT group, TK Maxx and the Royal Mail to name but a few.
Posted in Vans
February 25th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Nice to know that the auto industry can make some eco-friendly choices with larger vehicles.
~ Kristi
May 7th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
They have now launched the Econetic van as well – making their diesel powered van greener!
May 10th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Electrics vans seem to be the way the auto industry are heading at the moment, will be interesting to see how many are sold in comparison to the rivalling diesel model.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:27 am
I am REALLY looking forward for the electric vehicles [vans] in the U.S. market. We plan to have at least one Electric vehicle in the family. It costs approx. US $3.00/barrel for oil-rich countries to produce. They sell for $80/barrel in the international market. The money they earn leads to unrest in the world by sponsoring terrorism. If we switch our buying habits, we will have peace on earth. Thanks.
May 8th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
I personally can’t wait for the introduction of electric transit vans. The cost of diesel in the UK is noe seriously putting my small business at risk of folding.
Although I have heard these vans will be 40K+ I can only imagine the money saved will be more i the long run..
Such a good idea!
June 19th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
roll on long range electric vehicles