The order book for Ford’s electric baby, the E-Transit Courier, is now open and the first vans will arrive with UK customers in April this year.
Petrol and diesel versions of the compact van preceded the E-Transit Courier to market in 2023. All models are built at Ford’s plant in Romania.
The electric newcomer has a load volume of 2.9m3, compared to 2.3m3 on the outgoing model, and a load length of 1,803mm, which is up from 1,621mm on its predecessor and can be stretched to 2,661mm with an optional load-through bulkhead, designed to accommodate items such as ladders or pipes.
A new rear suspension set up has led to a 208mm increase in the width between the wheel arches to 1,220mm, enough to accommodate two Euro pallets, says Ford.
The van also boasts a 44-litre ‘Frunk’ under the bonnet, which Ford says is ideal for storing items such as a first-aid kit or charging cables.
The E-Transit Courier is available in Trend and Limited grades – two of the four trim levels offered with the ICE models. Payloads for the pair are 698kg and 682kg respectively. Both are good to tow a trailer weighing up to 750kg.
The Courier has a chunkier exterior look than its predecessor and the electric version is distinguished by a bold chrome grille, LED lightbar and daytime running lights plus 17in alloy wheels on the Limited edition.
To protect the contents of the load area, Ford has teamed up with TVL Security to offer optional lock packs ranging in price from £1,050 to £1,750, excluding VAT.
Performance and drive
A 100kW (136hp) electric motor with 290Nm maximum torque powers the E-Transit Courier. Ford says an 11kW AC onboard charger will provide a charge from 10% to 100% in five hours sixteen minutes and a 100kW DC fast charger will deliver 10% to 80% in just over 23 minutes as well as adding 64 miles in 10 minutes.
For overnight charging a 7.4kW AC charger will provide a full charge in seven hours eight minutes.
The 43kWh battery, which comes with an eight-year 160,000km (100,000 mile) warranty, delivers a range of 182 miles on the WLTP cycle, which rises to 187 miles with a fixed 75mph speed limiter, according to Ford. The manufacturer claims its connected vehicle data shows this range capability is good to meet the needs of 86% of compact van customers.
Ford Transit Courier brand manager Alan Ross predicts many E-Transit Courier customers will be buying their first electric compact van. He says the target buyers are owner/drivers and small businesses as well as municipal fleets and last-mile delivery firms.
Lower running and maintenance costs, access to low emission zones, incentives offered to EV operators and cutting their carbon emissions will also attract buyers, he says.
The good news on the cost front is that Ford predicts non-scheduled maintenance costs will be 35% lower for the electric Transit Courier compared to ICE models.
Sufficient payload, load volume and battery range are the key concerns for businesses switching to electric vans, Ross says, but, perhaps most importantly, “the charging must be easy for customers”, he adds.
To help operators make the best choices, Ford Pro Charging offers advice and support for depot, home and public charging.
Information about state of charge is easily visible to the driver thanks to it being displayed on a 12in digital cluster on the dashboard, this is complemented by an equally generous 12in Sync 4 touchscreen.
A steering wheel-mounted stalk allows the driver to select drive, neutral, reverse or park and also houses an ‘L’ button to maximise regenerative braking, which is strong enough to enable one-pedal driving in urban locations but not uncomfortably severe.
A button underneath the touchscreen brings up the choice of driving modes, including Eco, Normal and Sport, but the modes must be selected by touching the screen itself, which alters the display and can be distracting while on the move. We would prefer a button or steering wheel-mounted controls to do this job instead.
Nor are we fans of the ungainly ‘Squircle’ steering wheel, which seems to be a legacy of the similarly shaped equivalent in the Transit Custom that is so designed to allow it to convert into a table or tablet holder in certain models. Ford maintains the squared-off shape provides more leg room for the driver and affords a better view of the digital display.
We can confirm that it does detract from the E-Transit Courier’s handling, which is sharp and responsive, with steering that is relaxingly light in the city while stiffening up to offer plenty of feedback when pushed hard on open roads out of town.
Performance is excellent too, instant acceleration means drivers can nip into those fleeting gaps in urban traffic, while overtaking on inter-city runs can be accomplished quickly and efficiently.
Ride quality is commendable with little wind noise penetrating the cab, suspension that remains largely unperturbed by speed humps or uneven road surfaces and comfortable, supportive seats that take the aches and strains out of long journeys.
Interior and equipment
The van we tested in left-hand drive was close to the Limited grade model that will come to the UK as a right-hooker. Spec includes automatic climate control, auto-heated seats, heated steering wheel, a six-way adjustable driver seat with lumbar support and armrest and four-way adjustable passenger seat, Quickclear heated windscreen and the aforementioned alloy wheels and load-through bulkhead.
Satnav is also part of the deal and we found it to be clearer and more accurate than the Volkswagen-designed system in the Transit Connect, which is based on the German brand’s Caddy platform as a result of the product-sharing partnership between the two manufacturers.
Ford has led the field in developing safety kit for vans, a commendable strategy that has seen the Transit Courier range gain a Platinum safety rating from testing body Euro Ncap.
Features include electronic stability control and roll stability control as well as traction control and hill launch assist, lane keeping system, adaptive cruise control, wrong way alert and intersection assist.
The last-named applies the brakes if you are turning right and in danger of colliding with oncoming traffic.
Pre-Collision Assist 1.5 warns you if you are at risk of running into the vehicle in front or hitting a cyclist or pedestrian. If you ignore the warning, then the van brakes.
| Model | Ford E-Transit Courier Limited |
| Price (ex VAT) | £28,000 |
| Price range (ex VAT) | £27,000 – £28,000 |
| Warranty | 3yrs/62,000mls |
| Service intervals | 2yrs/unlimited mls |
| Load length | 1,802mm (2,661mm with load-through option) |
| Load width (min/max) | 1,220mm /1,535mm |
| Load bay height | 1,253mm |
| Gross payload | 682kg |
| Load volume | 2.9m3 |
| Engine size/power | 136hp electric motor |
| Range | 182 miles |
| CO2 | 0g/km |
| On sale | April 2025 |
| Key rival | Vauxhall Combo Electric |
| Verdict | The excellent E-Transit Courier makes a compelling case to customers to go electric. |
| Score | 9/10 |
