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09 May 2019 12:15
The Transit Custom is the UK’s best-selling van, in 2019, after years of planning, Ford has released an eco-friendly hybrid alternative. This move comes as part of Ford’s bid to launch 13 new electric vehicles over the next five years.
Ford’s new Transit Custom Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) features an electric motor with a range of over 31 miles (50km) with a 1.0 Ecoboost petrol engine as a backup.
Its electric motor can be mains charged (hence ‘plug-in’), taking five hours to reach full power on a standard domestic supply (240 volts, 10amp), and three hours on a commercial supply (240 volts, 16 or 32 amp).
Designed to be used in built-up and designated low emission areas, the electric motor swaps to the petrol Ecoboost in areas where pollution isn’t as much of an issue, or when the power runs out. Plug-in Hybrids were trialled in London where commercial vehicles are estimated to cover an average of 8 million miles per day.
The Ecoboost 1.0 engine has won the ‘International Engine and Powertrain of the Year’ gong 11 times. Despite its small size, it can produce up to 155hp. As the backup engine in Transit Custom PHEV models, the Ecoboost offers a range of more than 500 miles and can be filled up as normal at fuel stations, so there’s no need to be worried about running out of fuel abruptly.
These vans offer a good compromise between the performance of a standard petrol or diesel van and the eco-friendliness of a fully electric. They feature increased payload capacity when compared to battery-only alternatives, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to transport as much.
In future, there will only be more crackdowns on harmful emissions, so opting for a hybrid van like the Transit Custom PHEV is a good way of futureproofing your operations.
It’s also been released as a non-commercial van with the same spec but space for more passengers as the Ford Tourneo Custom Plug-in Hybrid.
Van Glass supplies side windows suitable for Transit Custom Plugin Hybrids, so whether you own one yourself and are planning a replacement or fit them for customers, we can help.
