Commercial Vehicle News Electric Cars Reviewed

Ford E-Transit Courier review

May 28, 2025 Phil Huff

We find out if the baby of the electric Transit family can match its class-leading siblings and compete with the best small electric vans

The E-Transit Courier is the all-electric sibling to the petrol and diesel models launched last year, and it’s given Ford’s smallest van quite a big upgrade.

Built in Romania and sharing its underpinnings with the Ford Puma SUV, this tiny workhorse brings a relaxed, car-like drive to the compact van segment.

While it’s still the baby of the Transit range, replacing the previous Fiesta-based model, it’s bigger and better than ever. With a simple two-trim line-up and just one battery and motor setup, it’s aimed squarely at urban drivers, tradespeople, and delivery firms taking their first steps into EVs.

Is that enough to stand out against Renault, Toyota and the Stellantis quartet? It might spoil the review a little, but yes, it is.

Design, interior, and technology

The E-Transit Courier feels smart and up-to-date inside. A 12-inch touchscreen with Ford’s SYNC4 software and a digital instrument cluster come as standard, and the whole setup is pretty easy to get to grips with. That said, climate controls hidden in the screen menus are a bit fiddly when you’re on the move. Bring back buttons, Ford.

It’s a two-seater cab, which means it doesn’t feel cramped by trying to squeeze a third central seat in. Ford has moved the gear selector to a stalk behind the wheel, freeing up plenty of space in the middle for useful storage, too. There are loads of cubbies, though some would benefit from having a lid.

The Ford E-Transit Courier interior feels smart and modern

Taller drivers might find the seat doesn’t go quite far enough back. With my legs, it’s fine, but our behemoth of an editor might struggle to fold himself into the cab. Most will find a comfy driving position without too much faff, though.

Battery, motor and performance

Every E-Transit Courier is powered by a 134bhp electric motor under the stubby bonnet, with energy coming from a 43kWh battery pack — enough for a WLTP range of up to 181 miles. That’s a bit behind the 205 miles you’ll be promised from the larger-batteried Stellantis crew (the Citroen e-Berlingo, Fiat e-Doblo, Peugeot E-Partner and Vauxhall Combo Electric) but still enough for most day-to-day users. Ford reckons 86% of compact van drivers won’t need more, and if you’re in that 14%, then electric power probably isn’t the best option for your business right now.

Charging is straightforward: an 11kW onboard charger sorts a full recharge in about 5 hours 40 minutes with three-phase power — something you may have at a depot for reasonably fast charging — or a little over seven hours on a normal home charger. There’s a 100kW DC option for rapid top-ups on the go, with a 10% to 80% charge giving 125 miles or so of range, taking less than 25 minutes.

It’s pleasantly lively when driving. Instant torque helps you nip through traffic, and regenerative braking (activated via the ‘L’ setting on the drive selector stalk) makes for smooth, one-pedal driving around town. It’s also impressively quiet and comfortable.

It may not be quite Ford Puma levels of entertaining, but you can tell there are some car-based underpinnings in how it darts around. This is a van you can enjoy.

Ford E-Transit Courier payload and practicality

Ford’s really boosted the van’s usefulness over the old Courier. You now get 2.9m3 of load space, and a maximum load length of 1,803mm — just 14mm shorter than a Vauxhall Combo Electric, although, being larger overall, that can take 3.3m3 of cargo. If you tick the load-through bulkhead option, you can stretch that to 2,661mm, making it ideal for long items like pipes or planks. Even without that, there’s just enough space to fit a pair of Euro pallets in there, although you might need to brush up on your jigsaw-solving skills.

The Ford E-Transit Courier has a load capacity of 2.9m3

Payload is where the E-Transit Courier quietly shines: 698kg in the Trend spec (and 682kg in the Limited) is more than any other version in the range, petrol or diesel. It’ll also tow up to 750kg with a braked trailer. There’s also a handy 44-litre front storage area, perfect for charging cables or a first-aid kit.

You get one body style: a panel van with a single sliding door and split rear doors that open to either 180° or 270°. A tailgate is optional if you prefer it. Simple, but effective.

Ford E-Transit Courier price and specification

The E-Transit Courier starts at £27,000 plus OTR costs and VAT for the Trend, and £28,000 for the Limited. It’s not the cheapest van in its class, but it undercuts the Vauxhall Combo Electric, and you get plenty of kit.

There are just two trims — Trend and Limited — and even the entry-level choice is well-specced, including climate control and the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay-enabled infotainment centre. Limited adds heated seats, a heated steering wheel and a heated windscreen, which you’ll probably feel is worth the £1,000 upgrade once winter comes around. Safety-wise, you’re well covered either way: lane keeping, adaptive cruise, pre-collision assist and more are all standard.

Servicing is a breeze, with two-year intervals and, impressively, no mileage limits. The standard warranty is less impressive, though, at three years or just 60,000 miles. Ford Pro also offers telematics and charging management to help fleet operators keep costs under control.

Compared with rivals like the Combo Electric, Renault Kangoo E-Tech or the Toyota Proace City Electric, the Ford holds its own on price and running costs, but Toyota’s 10-year warranty plan might catch the eye of owner-operators or SMEs.

Verdict

The Ford E-Transit Courier might be the smallest all-electric van out there, but it packs in a lot of big-van features. It’s genuinely enjoyable to drive, well put together, and practical enough for most small businesses or urban jobs. The range could be better, but for its target users, it’s likely to be more than enough.

As it stands, Ford’s biggest challenge might be convincing people to step up to the Transit Connect, as the Courier does such a good job on its own.