The automaker announced on Thursday that it will unveil an all-electric version of Ford ‘s popular Transit delivery van on November 12. The vehicle won’t go into production until 2021, but Ford hopes to curb the anticipated wave of new battery-powered delivery vans.
At the keynote, Ford is expected to share details on the van’s battery pack size, estimated range and other performance characteristics. Range will be an important metric, especially considering that delivery vans need to stay on the road as long as possible to earn the most money. Ford has previously made fun of the electric Transit van and also announced an electric Transit for the European market in 2019. The automaker has announced the name of the new vehicle: E-Transit.
“The world and the way we operate our vehicles are changing,” the company said in a statement.
While Ford’s Transit van is the best-selling cargo van in the US, the past few years have seen increased competition with Mercedes-Benz, which has revamped the popular Sprinter van.
E-Transit will land in the middle of a wave of new electric vehicles entering production for the North American market. Most will be passenger cars, but there will be a handful of commercial deliveries.
