Ford’s Transit line-up has a new addition: the Transit City. It is a fully electric van designed purely for urban work, and it sets itself apart through a deliberately pared-back approach intended to undercut other models in the brand’s range.
Ford Transit City platform and production
In terms of footprint, it is similar in size to the Transit Custom Van, but the two are not related, as they sit on different technical foundations. The Ford Transit City is the result of a joint venture between the American manufacturer and China’s Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC). It will also be built in China, at JMC’s plant in Nanchang.
Simplified range and standard equipment
Keeping costs down was the guiding aim of the programme, so Ford has reduced the line-up to the bare minimum. There are only three body styles - L1H1 Van, L2H2 Van and Chassis Cab - and a single fixed equipment specification, with no options list at all.
Even so, the standard kit is described as notably comprehensive, including a heated driver’s seat. You also get a 12" central touchscreen, a rear-view camera and the now near-essential wireless connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Ford Transit City L1H1, the smallest version, can carry three Euro pallets and offers payloads of up to 1085 kg. The L2H2 variant provides 8.5 m³ of load volume and a slightly higher payload of up to 1275 kg, with a load bay that measures over three metres in length.
Up to 254 km of range
The “keep it simple” philosophy extends to the powertrain too: every version uses the same front-mounted 110 kW (150 hp) motor and a 56 kWh LFP battery. In real terms, that equates to a claimed range of up to 254 km (unofficial figures).
When it is time to recharge, DC rapid charging peaks at 87 kW, which is enough to take the battery from 10% to 80% in around 33 minutes. As this is a model aimed at city driving, the brand says it has refined the calibration of the one-pedal drive system, improving overall efficiency.
When does it arrive?
Orders for the new Ford Transit City are due to open during the second quarter of the year, with first deliveries expected towards the end of the year. Prices for this market have not yet been announced.
Ford already sells electric versions of the Transit Custom and the smaller Transit Courier. It is expected that the new Transit City will be priced closer to the Transit Courier, at nearly €22,000 (+VAT), than to the Transit Custom, at nearly €31,000 (+VAT).
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