Ford Transit Electric Van Coming In 2021 Previewed By Minibus Concept

While Mercedes-Benz Vans is bringing the eSprinter to market this year, Ford revealed today that an all-electric Transit van is coming in 2021.

The announcement was made at the GoFurther event in Amsterdam but Ford wasn’t too generous when it comes to details. The automaker said the electric Transit is designed to deliver pure-electric power, reducing costs for business and operators while contributing to cleaner, quieter towns and cities.

A camouflaged Transit All-Electric Concept took to the stage in Amsterdam looking pretty much like your average Transit van. Ford didn’t say it specifically but said vehicle is likely to be a pre-production prototype.

Besides “revealing” the camouflaged Transit All-Electric, Ford has also released photos of another zero-emissions Transit. It’s called the Transit All-Electric Smart Energy Concept and Ford uses it for testing purposes “to further optimize the energy efficiency and driving range of its electrified vehicles.”

The Transit Smart Energy Concept is a 10-seater minibus that delivers a driving range of 150 km (93 miles) — just like the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter equipped with the 55 kWh battery. Ford didn’t reveal the battery capacity of its van but said the Transit chassis is “fitted with battery-electric technology.” The automaker did say that charging the battery takes four hours but didn’t get into specifics.

It remains to be seen if the 150-km (93-mile) driving range and 4-hour charging time apply to the production model as well.

While the camouflaged Transit All-Electric Concept looks like your average Transit, the Transit All-Electric Smart Energy Concept features unique styling cues such as a new grille, illuminated Ford logo in blue, and “Electric” badges.

Inside, it features a massive tablet computer that shows information such as battery charge level, energy consumption, and energy source — allowing us to see that solar is listed as a source, likely courtesy of roof-mounted panels. In total, there are four rows of seats for 9 passengers in a bus-like configuration.