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The Ford Transit Courier has been the automaker’s smallest cargo van since it relaunched in 2014, sitting on the same platform that supported the Fiesta and the B-Max. In all iterations, for all of its life, it has looked like a converted version of the miniature minivan body style that Europeans call an MPV, because that’s what it was. The new-generation Courier is here, debuting in battery-electric form, and as Patti Labelle would say, the E-Transit Courier has got a new attitude. It’s built on a subcompact platform again, this time being the architecture for the Ford Puma subcompact crossover. However, instead of bearing passenger-car lines that crimp cargo area, this here’s a chunky little box that can hold more, carry more, and offers more features to entice small businesses to join the ranks of Ford Pro.
For any interested entrepreneurs, the first thing to know is that the E-Transit Courier won’t enter production until late 2024. The gas- and diesel-powered versions of the new Courier are coming to market first, expected on dealer forecourts before the end of this year. Ford hasn’t shared battery size yet, but the e-motor makes 134 horsepower. An 11-kW onboard AC charger can restore battery charge from 10% to 100% in less than 6 hours, plugging into a DC fast charger and getting the max allowable 100-kW flow adds 54 miles of range in 10 minutes and gets the battery from 10% to 80% in about 35 minutes. Top speed is 90 miles per hour. Ford says it expects non-planned maintenance costs to run 35% less than the vans with conventional powertrains (the red van in the gallery above).
With expectations managed, the best bits for every drivetrain variant are the expanded cargo bay. Overall vehicle length increased by 4.65 inches to 168.4 inches, permitting engineers to stretch the former load bay longitudinally seven inches to 71 inches. Revised rear shock placement extends the transverse span by eight inches. In stock form, the load floor can fit two of the smallest EUR 1 pallets that measure 31.5 inches by 47.24 inches. It’s tight, with only about a half-inch of leeway on either side, but the previous generation couldn’t do that. Check the box for the load-through bulkhead, and a small aperture that opens into the cabin uses the front passenger’s seatback to extend the load floor to 105 inches. Combined with the slightly taller roof, total volume climbs 25% to 31.2 square feet, payload capacity climbs 20% to 1,543 pounds. A frunk holds another 1.56 cubic in the nose, the tow hitch can drag another 1,653 pounds behind the bumper. Note, these numbers apply to the E-Transit Courier and will differ for the ICE models.
To protect loads, the sliding side doors auto lock, and Ford says it partnered with a company called TVR to create factory-fit lock packs. There are also secondary lock hooks available to help prevent so-called “peel and steal” thefts, when thieves peel the top of a side panel off the van to gain entry.
Delivery pilots get a squared steering wheel that boosts knee room and standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility to ease long days in the saddle. Instrumentation appears on the 12-inch digital gauge cluster and the 12-inch infotainment screen running standard Sync 4. Getting features like Connected Navigation, adaptive cruise control, and the best of the Ford Pro software ecosystem like enhanced vehicle security alerts means checking checking options boxes and signing up for a subscription.
As a welcome to the Ford Pro family, an E-Transit Courier purchase comes with a year of complimentary charging at the BlueOval charging network. Fleet customers taking home five of these bad boys also get a year of free access to Ford Pro E-Telematics.
Potential customers can check out the E-Transit Courier in person at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham, running April 18-20.
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