Ford E-Transit targets efficiency-minded fleet buyers

To a typical vehicle shopper, Ford Motor Co.'s 2022 E-Transit van might not seem impressive.

The automaker is asking buyers to pay more than a $10,000 premium over the gasoline-powered model to get an estimated 126 miles of range — a third of what some of the latest EVs promise.

But the price and range make sense for the commercial customers Ford is targeting with the E-Transit, company officials say.

"There's a difference between retail and fleet customers," Ted Cannis, general manager of Ford's North American commercial business, told Automotive News. "In the retail world, you buy everything on a might — 'I might drive 300 miles to visit my parents in Chicago,' or 'I might buy a three-row because one time we traveled with another family and their kids.' In the commercial world, everything is for a specific use case. They never buy more than they need."

According to Ford's telematics data, commercial businesses use their vehicles for an average of 74 miles a day, well within the E-Transit's range, even after accounting for cold weather or heavy cargo loads. Ford also will offer a number of charging options, including access to thousands of public stations as well as at-home charging.

Cannis argues the price is fair and one that fleet buyers will be willing to pay once they calculate potential cost savings.

Scheduled maintenance costs will be 40 percent lower for the E-Transit compared with a gas model over eight years and 100,000 miles, Ford says. Increased uptime from not having to stop to refuel should improve efficiency as well, the company says.

Many cities have noise ordinances that prohibit gas-powered vehicles from operating outside of certain hours; the quiet electric motor on the E-Transit should allow businesses to work later than rivals, Cannis said.

In addition, a host of telematics software offered through the Ford Commercial Services division are all aimed at providing insights for business owners that will make driving more efficient and cost-effective.

Cannis said Ford is providing sales training for employees at its commercial dealerships so they can explain this to would-be buyers and help them work through the math of what they'd be able to save.

"We see that it's going to [work] for most of our customers interested in this space," Cannis said.

The E-Transit, built at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri, will be offered in three configurations, with three roof heights and three body lengths, in an effort to give business owners options to match specific needs. A Pro Power Onboard mobile generator, debuting on the 2021 F-150 pickup, will be optional.

Ford aims to produce a targeted 266 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque with the electric motor across all configurations. It's targeting a maximum payload of 3,800 pounds, or up to 4,290 pounds on cutaway versions.

The vehicle is part of Ford's $11.5 billion global bet on electrification. Even as Ford prepares to launch the Mustang Mach-E crossover geared toward retail customers, CEO Jim Farley said the automaker would focus extensively on commercial buyers, considering the business case might make them more inclined than retail buyers to go green.

"Commercial vans might be the most effective use of electric vehicle technology," Karl Brauer, iSeeCars executive analyst, said in a statement. "The combination of a consistent daily route with a home or work charging location solves two of the biggest EV customer concerns — range and infrastructure. Roll in the high torque and low noise offered by every EV and you have an ideal urban utility vehicle."