Ford unveils electric version of its Transit as it moves away from internal combustion engines

Ford has unveiled the electric version of its Transit, the bestselling van in Europe, as it tries to persuade tradespeople to shift away from vehicles with internal combustion engines.

The E-Transit Custom, due to be manufactured in Turkey from autumn next year, will go on sale while Ford steps up plans to sell only electric passenger cars in Europe by 2030 and only zero-emission vans by 2035.

With a range of 380km (236 miles) per charge, the E-Transit can carry up to 1,100kg and tow up to 2,000kg.

Jim Farley, the president and chief executive of Ford, hailed a “Transit for the new era” after the announcement from Ford Pro, an internal division created last year for the commercial van market.

Ford, which dates back to 1903, is one of the so-called Big Three carmakers that have dominated the American automotive sector for decades. It is investing heavily in the electrification of vehicles amid a shift to electric across the industry globally. It has a market value of $61 billion.

If the company is to maintain its leadership position in the European van market, and meet its targets for entirely zero-emission vehicles, it must persuade hundreds of thousands of van drivers to buy electric vehicles for the first time over the coming years.

“Ford Pro and the E-Transit Custom are redefining what a commercial vehicle can do — powering working people and businesses into a new digital age,” said Farley, 60.

“Our customers have made Transit Custom the most popular commercial vehicle in Europe, and we’ve listened to those customers for well over fifty years.

“The new E-Transit Custom was designed and engineered to meet their needs — a Transit for the new era, but one that can still get its hands dirty when a job needs doing.”

Stuart Rowley, the Briton who serves as chairman of Ford of Europe, has said that the company will be selling 600,000 all-electric vehicles by 2026 and a million by 2030.