One of the electric prototypes Ford will be showing to the public at the 2011 Geneva Motor show will be this zero-emission Ford Transit Connect. A production version of this car will go on sale in UK and Europe later this year.

Ford Transit Connect Electric is based on the Kombi version of the car and it’s a a pure electric-powered version of the award-winning, long-wheelbase Transit Connect light commercial vehicle.It has a cargo volume 3.8 m³ and a payload of 410kg.

With its proprietary Force Drive system the Transit has 28kWh power to get to its top speed of 75 mph. But the more important factor with such cars is the range. The Transit Electric manages 130km/80 miles. Its lithium-ion battery pack is charged via a standard power outlet – an onboard converter then charges the battery pack. Fully charging the batteries using standard European 220/240-volt outlets takes up to 10 hours.

We don’t generally like electric cars, but we fully support electrification of commercial vehicles. These are the vehicles that have to be in business the entire day. By making them electric-powered, a large amount of fuel will be saved for our sportscars and everybody will be happy!

“Transit Connect Electric exemplifies how we are leveraging our relationships as well as our hybrid and advanced powertrain programs to bring energy-efficient technologies from the laboratory to the street,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “Not only is this an ideal vehicle for eco-conscious fleet operators, it is an important part of Ford’s future.”

Transit Connect Electric Technical data

Body

• ‘Glider’ assembly at Ford Otosan plant in Kocaeli, Turkey
• Final assembly by Azure Dynamics Corporation

Propulsion architecture

• Siemens AC induction motor, Azure Dynamics inverter
• Borg-Warner transaxle, Johnson Controls-Saft battery pack
• System voltage range 260V – 380V

Electric drive system

• Motor Siemens model 135, 3-phase AC induction motor, 300V nominal, liquid-cooled
• Torque 158 Nm (continuous) / 235 Nm (peak)
• Transmission Borg-Warner 31-03, single-speed
• Gear ratio 8.28:1
• IEC 62196 type 1

Battery

• Johnson Controls-Saft lithium-ion pack
• Capacity 28 kWh, 16 modules / (192 cells)
• Voltage range 215V – 390V / charger – 3.3 kW

Weights and capacities

• Maximum payload 410 kg
• Curb weight 1791 kg (est.)
• Cargo volume 3.8 m³

Performance

• Driving range up to 130 km (80 miles) per full charge
• Charge duration up to 10 hours for full cycle using 230 V
• Top speed 120 km/h (75 mph)@ 0 percent grade
• Acceleration 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph) in 12 seconds (based on kerb weight)
• 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph)in 15 seconds (based on gross vehicle weight rating)