Transit Custom and Tourneo Plug-In Hybrids are coming

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31/10/2019

• Arriving in mid-2020, Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid van delivers 56 km zero-emission NEDC driving range, and more than 500 km NEDC total range using 1.0‑litre EcoBoost petrol engine range extender
• Advanced plug-in hybrid architecture features 13.6 kWh battery that can be charged with mains electricity for zero-emission driving – contributing to reduced local emissions
• Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid delivers 1,130 kg net payload and unchanged 6.0 m³ load volume
• Epower Pack enables operation of high-power electrical equipment from battery
• New Transit Tourneo Titanium Plug-In Hybrid eight-seat people-mover delivers pure-electric driving capability, with premium leather-accented seats

Ford New Zealand is introducing plug-in hybrid technology for zero-emission driving capability to the light commercial van segment, with the new MY2020.5 Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid and the MY2020.5 Tourneo Titanium Plug-In Hybrid eight-seat people-mover, arriving mid-2020.

Combining zero-emission driving capability and no range anxiety, the first-in-class Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid van can be charged with mains electricity for a pure electric NEDC driving range of up to 56 km.

The Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid’s front wheels are driven exclusively by a 92.9 kW electric motor powered by a 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Ford’s 1.0‑litre EcoBoost petrol engine acts as a range extender for total driving range exceeding 500 kilometres, 2.7 l/100 km fuel efficiency and 60 g/km CO₂ emissions NEDC.*

A net payload of 1,130 kg and unchanged load volume of 6.0 m³ are facilitated by packaging of the compact battery pack beneath the floor. Giving confidence to businesses, the battery pack is covered by a standard eight-year/160,000 km warranty.**

Ford is also introducing a new Tourneo Titanium Plug-In Hybrid eight-seat people-mover, utilising the same advanced powertrain technology, and offering a spacious rear compartment with unique-in-segment conference seating.

“Our customers want electrified vehicles, but many still have concerns about infrastructure and range. The new Transit Custom and Tourneo Plug-In Hybrids deliver the same well-renowned productivity capabilities combined with the ability to drive on zero-emission electric power and anxiety free ability to make longer journeys,” said Simon Rutherford, Managing Director, Ford New Zealand.

Full specifications and pricing will be available soon.

A charging port located within the front bumper enables the new Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid to be charged in 4.3 hours using a domestic 240-volt 10-amp power supply, or 2.7 hours using a commercial type-2 AC vehicle charger. Additional electrical energy is captured through regenerative charging when the vehicle decelerates or brakes.

Four selectable EV modes enable the driver to choose how and when to use the available battery charge:

• EV Auto is intended to provide the optimum blend of performance and efficiency. The vehicle’s control algorithms monitor battery energy levels and the current driving scenario – such as whether motorway or stop-start driving – to decide whether to activate the range extender
• EV Now prioritises usage of stored battery energy for emissions-free driving, deactivating the range extender until battery levels reach a minimum state of charge
• EV Later prioritises the range extender and leverages regenerative charging to most efficiently maintain the current level of battery charge, ready for later use
• EV Chargeutilises the range extender to power the vehicle and to top up the battery for when further EV Now travel is needed

Drivers can also choose the degree of energy recovery and braking assistance afforded by the regenerative charging system by selecting either Drive or Low on the gear selector. Releasing the accelerator pedal in Low-mode increases programmed deceleration, automatically illuminating the brake lights when necessary to warn drivers behind. The greater deceleration supports greater use of a one-pedal driving approach, particularly in stop-and-start urban scenarios, increasing the amount of kinetic energy recovered and stored in the battery for optimised electric driving range.

Inside the cabin, a power/charge gauge replaces the standard rev counter. Optimised following feedback from participants in Ford’s year-long real-world Transit Plug-In Hybrid trial in London, U.K., the gauge visualises real-time energy recuperation to help drivers maximise electric driving range.

A smaller gauge for battery state of charge replaces the engine coolant temperature indicator and trip computer functions are configured specifically for the hybrid powertrain. EV mode indicators, maintenance alerts and a warning when the vehicle is plugged into a charging point, appear on the instrument display cluster. A status graphic displaying distance-to-empty for both the battery and range extender is visible on all screen displays.

Equipped for business

The Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid will be offered in a single variant, with Van or Tourneo body styles. Ford’s voice-activated SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system, featuring an 8-inch colour touchscreen that can be controlled with pinch and swipe gestures, is standard.

Available driver assistance technologies include Active Park Assist and Lane-Keeping Alert supported by standard electric power-assisted steering that is apparently optimised for city driving and easy manoeuvring in busy commercial environments.

An optional 12-volt Epower Pack will enable operators to run high-power electrical equipment such as power tools or site lights from the vehicle’s high-voltage battery, using an easily accessible connection delivering up to 6 kW of power.

Tourneo Custom SWB Plug-In Hybrid

Also available from mid-2020, the first-in-class Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid people-mover shares the hybrid drivetrain of the Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid. Delivering 3.1 l/100 km fuel efficiency, 70 g/km CO₂ emissions and a pure electric driving range of up to 53 km NEDC, the Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid also is covered by Ford’s eight-year/160,000 km battery pack warranty.

Offered in upscale Titanium specification, the new eight-seater Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid has been engineered to provide superior levels of comfort, with exceptional refinement for occupants particularly when running in electric-only driving mode.

The Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid also continues to offer the unique-to-segment ability to arrange the two rear rows of seats in conference format for outstanding access and enhanced interaction between passengers – or in two rows of three seats facing forward.

Tested by customers

The results of Ford’s year-long real-world trial of Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid vehicles in London, Ford suggest that plug-in hybrid electric commercial vehicles could present the most practical, readily available option for businesses trying to reduce their overall emissions as well as fuel use.

A fleet of 20 prototype Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid vans covering more than 240,000 km sought to test whether businesses could carry out the typical daily duties of their diesel-powered vehicles, while maximising the use of zero-emissions electric-only driving mode.

During the trial, 75 per cent of the fleet’s mileage in Central London and 49 per cent in Greater London was completed using pure electric power. The results highlight that even without a fully established electric vehicle charging network, the hybrid vans were able to dramatically reduce tailpipe emissions in the inner city, using the flexibility of a petrol range extender to complete longer journeys when required.

Further trials in Cologne, Germany, and Valencia, Spain, will provide data from different markets, cities and customer types, and will involve a mix of Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid vans and Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid people-movers.

More to Follow

Ford earlier this year announced that the All New Ford Escape will include a PHEV option, also arriving in New Zealand in 2020. And a new all-electric Ford Transit Cargo will join the Transit range – anticipated for volume launch in 2021. The company also announced that every new Ford passenger vehicle nameplate will include an electrified option – either a mild-hybrid, full-hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric – delivering one of the most comprehensive line-ups of electrified options for European customers.

- Fred Alvarez Drive Life
https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2019/10/transit-custom-and-tourneo-plug-in-hybrids-are-coming/?fbclid=IwAR25zwS06wYpHF5y5j6S6CDU_iMFVRF69n__CGilENhoxES2dQS6581IZDM#.XbnmERf8Nnc.facebook