Image: Ford Australia
Almost 18 months ago I was in Frankfurt to drive Ford’s latest fleet of commercial vehicles, including their electric E-Transit Custom and E-Torneo. While the latter has yet to formalise any plans to come to Australian shores, the E-Transit Custom van has finally made it after some delay.
Ford‘s Melbourne HQ was the place for the launch of the E-Transit Custom this time, along with the launch of other non-electric vehicles, including the plug-in hybrid and internal combustion engine versions of the Transit Custom, as well as a Transit Custom Trail, which is aimed at accomodating more recreational activities as well as commercial.
The Ford Transit dominates the van market in Europe, and has done for some time. In Australia, Ford’s badge can be most commonly found on their Ranger ute. The arrival of the E-Transit Custom poses two questions. Firstly, can it make any ground in a ute-dominated market? Secondly, can it act as a launchpad for Ford’s once great electrification ambitions?
The E-Transit Custom arrives in two variants: a long-wheelbase Trend and a short-wheelbase Sport, priced from $77,590 – $79,990 before on-roads. Both use a 64 kWh lithium-ion battery feeding a rear-mounted 160 kW/415 Nm motor. Range sits around 300 kms WLTP, and a 125 kW DC charger can take it from 15 to 80 per cent in just over half an hour.
These are numbers that should cover most urban workdays. Ford even presented some user research at the launch event which found most urban van drivers would need less than 200 kms per day. Ford says the 64 kWh battery offered the right balance of range, weight, and price. Personally, I think it’s about right too.
The architecture is what you would expect for a Transit. Front seats for three, a wide open load bay swallowing up to 6.8 m³, and 2.3-tonne braked towing capacity that’s best-in-class for an electric van. Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment, 13-inch touchscreen and 5G modem confirm this as a workspace designed for laptops and lattes as much as ladders. It’s not a flashy interior, but it’s pragmatic.
The column-mounted shifter and electronic handbrake free up cabin space, the materials are hard-wearing yet modern. A digital rear-view mirror with built-in dash cam feels like a practical and sensible addition in the context of a van.
Disappointingly, the clever feature I tested in the pre-production version in Germany last year which lets you fold the steering wheel flat and use a supplied mat as a makeshift desk for your lunch or laptop, hasn’t made it into the production model.
Also disappointingly and somewhat curiously, Ford has opted not to offer Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability on the E-Transit Custom, a surprising omission for a commercial EV that could spend its life powering tools and tech on site. Stranger still, Ford’s own Ranger PHEV does feature V2L. This begs the question, why can the ute power a job site, but the van can’t?
One the road, proper one-pedal driving mode and a vapour-injected heat pump feel are appreciated features. Torque delivery is immediate and well-metered, with a planted rear-drive feel thanks to the battery’s low centre of gravity.
The independent rear suspension smooths out potholes reasonably well. I didn’t mistake driving the E-Transit Custom for a sports EV, but for a van with over 2 tonnes of kerb weight, it feels polished and comfortable to drive, and most notably quiet.
Globally, Ford’s EV story reads like a stop-start convoy. The company has talked a big electrification game, and with some things to show for it including the Cologne EV centre, the Mustang Mach-E, and the F-150 Lightning.
But in recent years it’s also been hedging hard on hybrids. Production slow-downs, revised timelines and quiet walk-backs have taken some shine off its “Model e” ambitions.
The E-Transit Custom, then lands as a crucial credibility test. It’s not a concept or a compliance car. It’s a workhorse, designed for invoices and insurance schedules, where downtime and running costs actually matter. This van must prove that Ford can build an EV that earns its keep.
So where does this electric van fit in the ute-dominated Australian market? For crowds like electricians, florists, and mobile techs, the E-Transit Custom actually makes better sense than a ute ever could.
Its 300 km range covers an entire metro loop with margin to spare. The flat floor, wide side door and eight tie-down points make loading and unloading easier than any ute tray. The 6 and a half hour overnight AC charge at 11 kW lines up neatly with the average depot schedule.
The E-Transit Custom van is a necessary and genuinely competent addition to Australia’s electric landscape. It should be a welcome arrival for Australian fleets ready to decarbonise their city routes, and for small businesses tired of fuelling at $2 a litre. It comes as a complete electric commercial vehicle, with a badge that many Australians know and trust.
But it’s also symptomatic of Ford’s broader malaise: cautious, incremental, and still too reliant on electrified rhetoric. When even the most workaday sectors are crying out for bold, full-battery options, Ford’s strategy feels like it’s idling in neutral. The E-Transit Custom proves again that the company can build a capable EV, now it needs the conviction to make more of them, and faster.
Ford E-Transit Custom Spec Sheet
Sam is Chief Operating Officer for Renew Economy and EV Media. Sam has been working with Renew Economy and One Step Off The Grid since 2014 and with The Driven since its inception in 2017. Sam is also the host of The Driven Podcast.
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View Comments
If they can move manufacturing from Turkey to China, and get access to better battery suppliers, they could make a meaningful drop in price and an increase in range.
Or just wait for China's answer to the e-transit to come here, at a 30% decreased price with more premium features, and quietly forget about the dying flailing of the American brand.