2023 Ford E-Transit Electric van: Everything we know [Update]

Update: ‘Battery & Range’ sub-section of ‘Specifications’ and ‘Sales’ sub-section of ‘Production & Sales’ updated.

The Ford electric vehicle in this story is not a passenger car. It’s an electric workhorse that goes about its duties silently. The 2023 Ford E-Transit is the brand’s third fully electric model currently on sale, in addition to the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning. Eight different configurations are available on the Ford E-Transit, making it the only one of its kind to offer so many variants.

Here’s everything we know about the Ford electric van:

Design

Ford hasn’t gone out of its way in making the E-Transit scream that it’s a zero-emissions vehicle. The van appears near-identical to its ICE-powered version, barring the grille. The sizeable hexagonal mesh grille on the ICE has been replaced with a three-slat grille, with each of the grille slabs painted blue to convey its electric underpinnings. The grille houses the charging port, and that’s about it. There are no other design changes on the electric iteration.

Roof heights

There are three roof heights to choose from; low, medium, and high. A person up to 6 ft 9 inches can stand inside the cargo bay in the high-roof model. The medium roof can accommodate a six-foot-tall person, while the low roof model has been designed to fit tight parking spaces with low ceilings. There are three body styles: Cargo Van, Chassis Cab, and Cutaway. Moreover, the Ford E-Transit body styles can be had in three lengths: regular, long, and extended. The extended E-Transit is a whopping 44 inches longer than the standard version and 28.4 inches longer than the long model.

Personalization

There’s extensive personalization offered for the 2023 Ford E-Transit. There are nine colors to choose from on the Ford E-Transit cargo van and two 16-inch alloy wheels designs. Customers can opt for a short-arm power-adjustable outside rearview mirror with indicators and blind-spot assist, hinged passenger side doors, running boards, body-colored bumpers, fixed windows, and high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps among a suite of other exterior features as well.

Interior

The E-Transit is a conversion BEV. Conversion BEV means that the chassis hardpoints stay the same as the ICE-powered Ford Transit, as does the interior cargo space. The electric van can be booked with a plethora of work-related accessories like bulkheads and shelving directly from the factory. Additionally, there are around 300 qualified upfitters around the U.S. — 13 of them within 30 miles of Ford’s Kansas City assembly plant.

Features

That said, the cabin is basic and highly functional. There’s a plain dashboard layout with hard plastics making up for most of the materials. A standard 12-inch touchscreen with SYNC 4 infotainment dominates the cabin. It features voice recognition, built-in navigation, smartphone connectivity, over-the-air (OTA) updates, and Ford Pro Intelligent subscription services such as telematics, complimentary for the first three years. The drive selector rotary dial is positioned on the center console.

The telematics functionality is highly advanced. Customers can precondition the cabin through the Ford Pro app while still plugged in for charging, helping preserve range. Customers can also use the telematics software to pay for public charging, reimburse employees for home charging, monitor the charge status of the EV fleet, help drivers locate EV charging stations, and provide range and performance data. Non-Ford vehicles can also be integrated into the system using a plug-in device to manage the fleet better.

Safety

Ford also offers the E-Transit with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) integrated with the SYNC 4 system. There’s traffic sign recognition, intersection assist, speed assist, and adaptive cruise control, among others. Standard safety features include roll stability control, TPMS, lane keep assist, hill start assist, collision assist and driver drowsiness alert, and more.

Specifications

Battery & Range

Ford says the average daily range for vans in the U.S. is 74 miles. Thanks to the Ford E-Transit’s 68 kWh lithium-ion NCM battery pack, it has a range of 126 miles (demonstrated figure) in the low-roof cargo van configuration. The medium roof height version with the long length has a slightly less range of 116 miles (projected figure), while the high roof versions in long and extended lengths get 108 miles (projected figure) of range. The battery and the motor come with an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Charging

Ford has equipped the E-Transit with an 11.3 kW onboard charger that can fully recharge its battery pack as quickly as 8.2 hours. The maximum DC charging power supported is 115 kW, with 15-80% fast-charging taking around 34 minutes.

Ford includes the Ford Mobile Charger (120V/240V) with the E-Transit purchase. Its max. power output is 7.36 kW/32-amp and it takes 12 hours to charge the E-Transit’s battery pack from 0 to 100%. It can add up to 10 miles of range per hour when plugged into a 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet.

Customers can shell out extra to purchase the Ford Connected Charge Station charger for USD 799. The optional charger enables Level 2 charging and can add 15 miles of range per charging hour to the E-Transit. It comes with a 20-ft. cable and offers an output of up to 11.5 kW/48-amp. The 0-100% charging time is the same:12 hours. Unlike the Ford Mobile Charger, this charger offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and supports FordPass Connected.

Aspect\Specification	Ford Mobile Charger	Ford Connected Charge Station	Ford Pro AC Charging Station
Output Power	32A/7.36 kW	48A/11.5kW	80A/11.5 kW
Cable Length	20 ft.	20 ft.	25 ft.
Weatherproof	IP-66	IP-65	To Be Announced
Bluetooth	No	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi	No	Yes	Yes
FordPass Connected Support	No	Yes	Yes
Average miles of range per charging hour	To Be Announced	15 miles	15 miles
Charging Time (0-100% SoC)	12 hours	12 hours	12 hours

The E-Transit is compatible with the Ford Pro AC Charging Station charger as well. This charger comes with a flexible 25-foot cable and can provide an output of up to 11.5 kW/80-amp. Moreover, it provides Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and supports FordPass Connected. With a price of USD 1,310, though, it is not for everyone.

Motor & Payload

The E-Transit’s rear axle-mounted electric motor produces 198 kW (266 hp) and 317 lb-ft (430 Nm). Maximum payload capacity on the low roof height version with the regular length is 3,880 lbs. The weight of a taller roof and increased length subsequently reduce the maximum payload capacity on other variants. However, payload capacity ranges between 3,330 lbs (extended high version) and 3,880 lbs (regular low model).

Aspect	2023 Ford E-Transit Specification
Body types	Cutaway, Chassis Cab, Cargo Van
Roof height options	Low, Medium, High
Length options	Regular, Long, Extended
Drivetrain layout	Rear-wheel-drive
Power	198 kW / 266 hp
Torque	317 lb-ft / 430 Nm
Battey	68 kWh
Range (Ford-est.)	108-126 miles
Charging DC (115 kW)	15% to 80% in 34 minutes
Charging AC (11.3 kW)	15% to 80% in ~12 hours
Payload Capacity	3,330 lbs to 3,880 lbs
Payload Volume (cu ft)	246.7 to 487.3

LFP battery option for the E-Transit

Ford will deploy LFP battery packs starting with the Mustang Mach-E in Spring 2023. While the company is in no tearing rush, it could offer the low-cost battery option in the E-Transit in the future. “You could see LFP maybe in the future being on an E-Transit,” Lisa Drake, vice president, Ford EV Industrialization, said during the July 21^st 2022 announcement call that was held to discuss the company’s new EV initiatives for sourcing battery capacity and raw materials. “You can imagine what that type of chemistry to do in a product like an E-Transit,” she added.

Production & Sales

Production

The timeline has been somewhat stretched for the production of the Ford E-Transit. The EV was announced in November 2020, reservations opened in May 2021, and the first electric van rolled out of Ford’s Kansas facility on February 8, 2022. The plant is Ford’s first to assemble battery components and EVs in-house. The brand has invested USD 100 million in the plant and added 150 full-time jobs for the E-Transit. By the end of 2023, the brand expects EV manufacturing capacity to reach 600,000 units annually.

Sales

The E-Transit is a highly sought-after electric van, with thousands of orders already placed. Ford’s monthly manufacturing capacity for the E-Transit is reaching four digits, meaning more people will be able to get their hands on this vehicle.

E-Transit sales in the U.S. have climbed to a level where Ford is comfortable sharing its monthly sales separately from the Transit. The company started disclosing individual E-Transit sales in July 2022, when it delivered 526 units.

By the end of 2022, Ford delivered 6,500 units of the E-Transit in the U.S. The Blue Oval’s new zero-emission model held a share of 73% in America’s electric van segment in 2022. In the first month of 2023, the company sold 357 units of the commercial EV in the domestic market, 158.7% more than in January 2022 (138 units).

Penske Truck Leasing

Pennsylvania-based Penske Truck Leasing has ordered 750 units of the electric cargo van, according to a release issued by the company on April 18, 2022. Penske will use the electric cargo vehicle for rental and leasing purposes. Penske was a part of Ford’s commercial business pilot program late in 2021 and that’s when its officials tested a pre-production E-Transit.

Frito Lay & Walmart

Moreover, Frito Lay announced on April 18, 2022, that the snacks company would induct 40 Ford E-Transit vans by the summer of 2022 as a part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions. As a part of Earth Day (April 22, 2022), the brand debuted its first pilot E-Transit van at its Carrollton, Texas manufacturing site.

United Rentals

On May 10, 2022, United Rentals announced a purchase order of 30 Ford e-Transit electric vans for its North American rental and company fleets. Moreover, Ford Pro Solution experts will help United Rentals install chargers and guide United Rentals officials regarding using the new EVs for its operations. All 30 electric vans were expected to be delivered in 2022 and enter service immediately after delivery.

The above-mentioned brands are among 300 commercial customers that have placed an order for 1,100 vehicles for their operations.

NYC Fleet

In its September 2022 U.S. sales report, Ford said that New York City has ordered 300 units of the E-Transit and F-150 Lightning. NYC’s fleet already includes 200 Mustang Mach-Es.

2023 Ford E-Transit Price

Ford has bumped up the prices of the E-Transit in the U.S. with the MY2023 update. And this is not an ordinary price hike, as the MSRPs have gone up as much as nearly USD 5,000. The 2023 Ford E-Transit costs USD 49,575 (excl. USD 1,895 destination charge) onwards.

Body style	2023 Ford E-Transit Price
E-Transit Cutaway	USD 49,575
E-Transit Chassis Cab	USD 50,105
E-Transit Cargo Van	USD 55,000

TopElectricSUV says

The E-Transit offers fleet operators an opportunity to considerably reduce running costs and improve productivity. Available in multiple configurations consisting of different bodies, lengths, roof heights, and seating/payload capacities, the commercial EV suits a wide range of applications for transporting both people and cargo.

2023 Ford E-Transit FAQs

Featured image source: Ford