Ford E-Transit set for November 12 reveal

FORD Motor Company has confirmed a November 12 reveal for its upcoming all-electric Transit van, fittingly dubbed the E-Transit.

No new details have been released about the eco-friendly commercial vehicle but that has not stopped Ford from stoking up the hype train.

“The world – and the way we power our vehicles – is changing. It’s why the time is right for a new type of Transit, something that remains the backbone of commercial business while serving both our community and the environment,” the brand said in a statement.

“Never has there been a better time to realise that doing the right thing is good for business – ours and yours.”

As previously reported by GoAuto, nothing concrete surrounding the E-Transit’s powertrain has been confirmed or even hinted at, with Ford instead boasting about the van’s connectivity features back at its confirmation in early March.

The headline act here is the embedded FordPass Connect modem featuring a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot with connectivity for up to 10 devices and Ford Data Services tools including GPS tracking, geofencing and vehicle diagnostics – all of which can be used, according to Ford, by fleet managers.

The only other details revealed were some of the van’s key safety features which include pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, post-collision braking, lane-keeping system and automatic high-beam headlights.

Following the E-Transits initial tease, a Ford Australia spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied an interest in offering the all-electric van here and said the current focus was on the Escape PHEV.

Given the Escape PHEV’s local launch has been pushed back until at least late 2021, GoAuto recontacted the local subsidiary to see if it maintained its previous stance.

“Transit is an important part of our lineup, with a range of different options to suit a variety of customer needs, from the versatile Transit Custom, to the hard-working full size Transit van,” communications director Matt Moran said.

“We have no news to share about any future plans to introduce the E-Transit to Australia.”

Ford has sold 1568 Transit Customs and 777 Transit Heavys so far this year ending September, accounting for 12.5 per cent and 6.2 per cent of their respective segments.