Ford to launch the Transit Connect as a plug-in hybrid

With the third generation of its Transit Connect panel van, Ford is now also adding a plug-in hybrid version to its lineup. The vehicle is based on Volkswagen’s MQB platform, and thus technically a sister model of the VW Caddy. The PHEV drivetrain, available for the first time in the Transit Connect, is also familiar from the Volkswagen Group. It combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor for a system output of 110 kW (150 PS) and a high-voltage battery, which should enable a purely electric range of up to 110 kilometres and can be charged with 11 kW AC using the onboard charger or with 50 kW at DC fast chargers.

According to Ford, the Transit Connect PHEV will be launched on the market in the middle of this year. The US vehicle manufacturer’s electrified van family will then cover four segments with the Transit Connect PHEV. The other three will be offered purely electrically: The E-Transit, the E-Transit Custom and the E-Transit Courier planned for the end of 2024.

The name Transit is widely known and is therefore used by the company for more than one model series. The Transit itself is a small van with a length of 5.53 to 6.73 metres. The Transit Custom is one size smaller and between 4.97 and 5.34 metres long. The Transit Connect, which is the subject of this article, is no longer a van, but a panel van (4.42 to 4.82 metres). The smallest model with the Transit name is the Courier, which at 4.16 metres in length takes components from the Ford Fiesta and B-Max. There are also passenger car versions of the Custom, Connect and Courier, which go by the name of Tourneo.

But back to the Transit Connect PHEV: in addition to the above-mentioned core data on the drive and load capacity of the vehicle, Ford states a towing capacity of 1.4 tonnes and a payload of 770 kilograms. For comparison: the diesel counterparts of the Transit Connect have a towing capacity of 1.5 tonnes and a payload of 820 kilograms. The load volume of the part-time electric vehicle is up to 3.7 cubic metres.

Concerning the drive, Ford specifies that a 6-speed automatic transmission with dual-clutch technology transmits the power to the drive wheels in the plug-in hybrid van. As mentioned, the peak output is 110 kW and the maximum torque is 350 Nm. In purely electric mode, a range of up to 110 kilometres and a maximum torque of 330 Nm should be possible.

All variants of the Transit Connect have a range of driving assistants and a ten-inch digital instrument cluster on board ex works. A central touchscreen, also ten inches in size, serves as a control element, for example for smartphone integration via Apple Carplay and Android Auto or for navigation. Other options include a heated steering wheel or heated or particularly ergonomic front seats.

In principle, Ford offers the Transit Connect as a two-seater panel van or as a crew cab with five seats – each with a short or long wheelbase. Customers can also choose between the three equipment lines Trend, Limited and Active. Customers will be able to order the model from spring 2024, with deliveries starting in the summer, according to Ford. The diesel versions will be launched on the market first, but the PHEV version will also be delivered from the middle of the year. However, according to Ford, the crew cab will not be available until the end of 2024.

“Over the past two years, we’ve electrified the Transit family to help every kind of customer accelerate their productivity and electrify their business. Our all-new Transit Connect is another key step in that mission,” says Hans Schep, General Manager Ford Pro Europe.

In further news, the German portal Autonotizen reports that the plug-in hybrid will also electrify the VW Caddy. However, details – such as the timetable – are apparently not yet available.

Update 20 March 2024

Following the Transit Connect PHEV panel van, Ford now presented the Tourneo Connect passenger car variant as a plug-in hybrid. The PHEV versions of the five-seater Tourneo Connect and the Grand Tourneo Connect for up to seven passengers with all-electric ranges of up to 110 kilometres will be available to order starting in summer and will go on sale before the end of the year.

media.ford.com, autonotizen.de (in German, VW Caddy), ford.com (update)