Electric vans are on the rise! Ford formalizes its new Ford E-Transit. In parallel, Renault unveil its Renault Trafic Van E-Tech after taking advantage of Hanover’s IAA .
If we think of passenger cars first when we talk about electric cars, commercial vehicles are also becoming more and more trendy. The Stellaris group has already adopted this engine for some time, with its Peugeot E-Expert and E-Traveller, among others. Other brands have also gotten into it, such as Mercedes with its printer, for example, and even Tesla wants to have its own electric van. On the side of Ford and Renault too, the electric range continues to grow, while the two brands have each just presented their new utility.
AN EVEN MORE PRACTICAL FORD E-TRANSIT CUSTOM
The brand with the blue oval lifts the veil on its all-new, 100% electric E-Transit Custom. A new version of the manufacturer’s bestseller, which offers a brand new, more futuristic style with its unique light signature. But it is above all its practicality that should appeal to professionals looking for an electric van.
Indeed, the latter offers a generous loading volume ranging from 5.8 to 9.0 m³ depending on the size chosen, while the payload is displayed at 1,100 kg. The utility can accommodate a load of up to 3,450 mm and tow up to two tonnes. Two engines are available, with a 136 or 217 horsepower electric motor installed at the rear and displaying a torque of 415 Nm, as detailed in the press release.
Using the 82 Ah cells as the Ford F-150 Lightning, this newcomer has a 400-volt, 74 kWh battery and can travel up to 380 kilometres on a single charge. This is done in 41 minutes at a maximum power of 125 kW. Designed to be used as a mobile office, this new Ford E-Transit Custom comes standard with 5G connectivity, as well as a 14-inch touchscreen incorporating the SYNC4 system.
The steering wheel can be tilted to accommodate a computer. Note that it is also equipped with the Delivery Assist system, capable of automatically activating warnings, rolling up the windows, and locking the car during deliveries. Finally, the ProPower Onboard system provides up to 2.3 kW of power (two-way charging or V2D for vehicle-to-device) to power various electronic devices. Produced next year, this newcomer to the range will be launched immediately after.
A new Renault Trafic Van E-Tech
For its part, Renault is taking advantage of the IAA in Hanover to unveil its brand new Renault Trafic Van E-Tech, the first electrified version of its star utility vehicle. The latter then arrives in the range alongside the Kangoo (of which an electric fitted van version was also presented by Renault) and the Master. The style remains almost identical to the thermal version, while it still comes in two lengths, namely 5.08 and 5.48 meters.
Two heights (1.967 and 2.498 meters) are also available, while the loading volume varies between 5.8 and 8.9 m3 depending on the version chosen. It can then accommodate objects with a maximum length of 4.15 meters in its extended L2 version, while the payload is displayed at 1.1 tonnes. The towing capacity is much less important than that of the Ford E-Transit since it is limited to 750 kilos.
Unlike its rival, only one engine is available in the range of this new Renault Trafic Van E-Tech Electric. The latter then embeds a 120-horsepower electric motor associated with a 52 kWh battery allowing it to travel up to 240 kilometres on a single charge according to the WLTP cycle..
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The brand press release specifies that three types of chargers are available. Namely 7 kW single-phase for domestic charging, 22 kW three-phase for accelerated charging on public AC terminals, and an optional 50 kW system for fast charging on the highway. In this case, 50 minutes are needed to go from 15% to 80%.
While no release date has yet been announced, rumors point to a launch early next year.