Ford E-Transit Long Term Review: 4,000 Miles in a Small Business Fleet

[@12799MaDeuce]

4:42 The battery icon that "tells you to pay attention to the actual screen in your dashboard" is actually meant to tell you where the charge port is. Most cars have an indicator near the fuel gauge that points to which side of the vehicle the fuel filler port is on. This is the EV equivalent of that and has nothing to do with the screen.

[@natehill8069]

I always liked that indicator on gas cars. My dad hated it. "Who is so stupid he doesnt know where his gas cap is?" he would say. To which I would say "I dont know, how about someone who just bought the car (which has happened to me), someone who rented the car (which has happened to me), someone who uses a "company" car (which has happened to me), someone who borrowed the car (which has happened to me), someone who has more than one car and they are on different sides (which was my case at the time and in fact was for him as well) and combinations of the above?" I mean, its stenciled on at the factory with the same mask that the speedo and gas gauge itself uses; it literally costs nothing, just smugly ignore it if you already know where it is.

[@darrinwi]

I just put one of these in service on 1/09 , I’m a locksmith and locally I love it

[@arkhamkillzone]

How locally do you love it? I have a diesel 470e. Do you think the electric version is better? I'm using mine as a compervan.

[@davesmith342]

Ford really did design this to be plugged into a 7-11kw charger each night, this way it's always ready the next day, the modelling Ford did showed this is suitable for around 80% of owners

[@darinbrazil5496]

I have the low roof regular wheel base version with over 9000 miles now with a lifetime rating of 2.8 miles per kilowatt hour which is 190 miles on 100 percent charge. I am actually getting 3.3 miles per kilowatt hour in spring through fall and during winter I get 2.4 miles per kilowatt hour.

[@Gidenkidenk]

How do you like it?

[@darinbrazil5496]

@@Gidenkidenk I traded it for a lightning but it was a great vehicle for me, its great for tradesman and deliveries. It did everything for me on a daily basis for what I do. Even pulled my dump trailer to the dump and back no problem. I never intended on buying the E-transit I was pretty much forced into it because the wait list was seemingly to long at the time for the lightning so it was something to get me by until I could get the lightning. Now they are everywhere lol.

[@aggabus]

2.4 miles ÷ 15¢ kw 6¢ mile

[@aggabus]

6 ¢× 4000 m 240d 4000 m ÷ summer 100day 40 no day 2.4$ day 0.166666666 $3÷18mpg 6.666666666 $ day 0.166666…×40 4.2$ day save

[@darinbrazil5496]

@@aggabus It really depends on where you live what the savings is, however I charge at my house with solar so I haven't paid for electricity in two years and gas is more like $5 per gallon here so its a much bigger savings for me.

[@12vLife]

Waiting for these to get closer to 400 mile range and be able to add 100 miles in 15 minutes. But my 64k question is about using the OEM A/C while parked overnight. How much KWH would it use and can it cool/ventilate 2/3 of the cargo area on the smaller/lower van? I don't need it ice cold, but am in Florida. I have this idea for an EV Van conversion where I open no holes in the roof, but rather rely on the A/C vents, fans and compressor to ventilate and cool the van. In 1/3 back half of the van I would have a hot space I would have all my appliances with a strong fans vent out the sides to push hot air out and pull cooler air from the OEM A/C set to fresh air mode. Free of holes, I would like to place a single 500 watt solar panel over the entire living space of the van to help maintain my battery while in the sun. I would insulate the ceiling and walls with 2 inch of foam.

[@ExceptionalGlassLLC]

I'm torn between the electric and gas versions. I can easily do 200 miles a single day. Seems like the EV technology isn't caught up to true contractor needs. Most of my friend contractors travel a good deal of miles a single day as well for different trades. Sitting for 2 hours to charge in between appointments is a big hassle.

[@OutMotorsports]

Well, Ford isn't claiming these vans work for everyone. They're definitely an in-town sort of solution for the time being. Using the right charger should reduce charge times to ~30 minutes in most cases, though that could still be annoying if you're trying to do a lot of miles in a day. Our hope is that Ford will continue to develop the E-Transit and offer the next generation with much more range to make it viable for people like you and your friends who rack up more miles per day.

[@elb98rm]

It's not 2 hours. It's 30 mins with good chargers (For example: every UK service station has a good charger - America is more zonal though). Also, it is recommended to get a depot or house charger to be set every morning. To do 200 miles, reports are that it's between 90 to 150 miles range (depending on load and size). A recharge is 20-40 mins depending on charge approach and amount. If your normal loo/coffee break is 15 mins... that's only 15-25 mins delay. Personally I wont drive more than 120 miles without a break. It's not safe. You could quite feasibly do 100 miles, take a quick break, grab a coffee and drive back. Realistically, you're only losing out on 15-25 mins. You also are guaranteed to never need to fill up in the morning, as every morning you are full (which is another 15 mins). Watch the Smedley Plumbing van videos if you want some really good range analysis. Unless you are going somewhere extremely quiet, I'd be accounting 15 mins anyways... it's probably not going to make a difference until you break 200 miles. (at which point I'd argue you should be taking breaks every 100 miles for safety and for your health).

[@nathanmellies3692]

Just spend the couple hundred bucks for a level 2 charger! I've got 2 EVs, and it's super easy to keep everything charged up.

[@OutMotorsports]

The shop has since installed a L2 charger! Vastly improved experience day to day :-)

[@droomagon]

aren't you forgetting the fact that you are literally doing no maintainance on those? there is no oil change, filter change, transmission fluid, and so on, that's alot of cost as well

[@ricktotty2283]

Sir, you need to get a bulkhead wall or headache rack installed. Very dangerous! Protect your company and your people. Very good real world Analysis on the E Transit.

[@Unknown_Ooh]

I'm shocked they don't come that way from the factory for what they're charging. I checked out three of them sitting on a lot and none had a bulkhead and your comment was my first thought at the time.

[@jwp1180]

Lmao! Yall tripping, I've been mobbing my transit for over a year with no bulkhead, im a plumber with a fully stocked van with all the goods If you're not a sloppy person you don't have to worry about your stuff flying everywhere.

[@ricktotty2283]

@@jwp1180 if you were operating your own vehicle, then that’s on you. This gentleman was planning on buying vehicles for other people to drive. If these other people have an accident and the stuff that’s in the back of the truck comes forward and crushes them and severs their spine, it’ll be a bad day for the owner.

[@cleanerdk]

​@@jwp1180an e-transit?

[@Smoke---]

@@Unknown_Oohit’s optional

[@ALMX5DP]

Think it can make sense for a lot of fleets, but still would be nice to have a larger battery for owners or companies who need that 150+ mile capability. I mean it's still 30kwh smaller than the standard Lightning and damn near only half the capacity of the ER model.

[@mikeb1039]

Every real world test seems to be getting 150+ no problem. In Europe the same setup is rated at 180 miles and there are multiple video reviews where they got in that 180 range. Ford knows some people are going to load this up so they have to be really careful on range claims with all the other temp, etc variables.

[@ilyapopov584]

Thank you Tyler, very nice and honest review, in all-new E-Transit the problems you mentioned, will be fixed

[@melissabrown6826]

How much did the charge cost!

[@natehill8069]

"Ford claims 15-80% in roughly..." that would be DC Fast Charging which some people call Level 3; not Level 2 which is AC and essentially "slow" charging. (Level 1 is a regular wall outlet and would be like "trickle" charging gaining only 2mph or so in this vehicle)

[@PKDesigns2011]

I'm sure it will work for some companies, progress is kool, and I like the interior ( aside the lack of buttons 😜 lmao )

[@andrewnaidl8606]

Good info. Thanks! Seems like a great van with terrible range.

[@OutMotorsports]

Glad you enjoyed! The range works for many people as a "last mile" sort of vehicle, city deliveries in particular. Given this is effectively a conversion of a gasoline Transit, we're curious what Ford will do next. Would be nice to see a 300+ mile Transit in the next generation.

[@doctorcrankenstein349]

Even for a local contractor the range on this van is a JOKE!

[@aggabus]

Dollars per mile ?? Simple question... You manage 2000 t&t Give a simple answer High side low side cpm

[@aggabus]

Big truck cost 50 and 55 cpm .. fuel. 0.02 cpm oil

[@tzed2509]

Is there a read-out that shows your overall efficiency, in miles/kWh for instance? My experience with EV cars has been that you can get more range by driving conservatively.

[@gerbre1]

You can also see the battery percentage on the big screen.

[@georgevida8221]

Why would you keep it plugged in for a week straight, when not using? Have you never used anything with a battery before?

[@guineapigzed]

Great review, thanks.

[@OutMotorsports]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed!

[@LittleSpot]

When mercedes will come with their 114kWh Battery in the sprinter End 2023, Ford needs to adapt and we will also getting a bigger battery pack. Than it will be good also for camper cars. 250 to 300 km and than 115kW charging will be good for many travellers.

[@enhancehomeimprovementstoo1802]

Do your van have a extra outlet on the seat side.

[@Unknown_Ooh]

Does* and research it yourself

[@ewayjeng1]

Why not a hybrid option for long distance travel?

[@natehill8069]

Mission. Very few of these panel vans are used for long distance travel, hybrid would just give you a little better gas mileage (since hybrid really only benefits in town), but would cost more to buy, lose payload to machinery, and lose the benefits of not needing oil changes and not having hundreds of moving parts in an engine and transmission that can break. They mostly drive 5-10 miles and park for 1/2-2 hours while you deliver, repair or paint something then rinse & repeat. Ford would rather just sell you a straight gas/diesel van if you need long range and skip all the electrics, not worth marketing the hybrid for edge cases.

[@winstonwolff]

Look at ANY truck stop. Look at 25% of the transits, sprinters, promasters, NV2500s. They are local deliveries or long haul expediters. They drive between 150 to 1000 miles a day. I average 560 miles a day M-F. Or about 2,800 mi. a WEEK! When someone makes a 250 or 300 miler on 1 charge thats when the game will be changed for everyone. Of course temperature, use of heat or air, weight of freight, mountians, medium or high winds, a lead foot etc.etc. all really help decide the true range just as much as the KWHs. Now, if we can get more charging stations around the country or at least if we had 70% of them that work. That would help ALOT. If you have ever tried charging a vehicle on the go you find that there may only be 1 charger around you and someone is using it while shopping etc. Or that the only 1 is broken, or its too far away or the wrong connection type or speed etc. Also sometimes you can't use it because it's "private" use only or you have to pay addtl. $10 to park. Or you need to pay $25 for a charge company you may only use once. All the rates are different, also many chargers are in parking garages that are 7 feet where these vans will not fit etc. etc. There is ALOT to think about before " going green". It's a joke in America really. Unless you own a Tesla nobody want to deal with all this BS. The built a charging network out before releasing the vehicles.

[@HarleyMartinez-t6e]

Can’t believe that Ford made the Ford TRANSIT 1 of their vans and called it a Ford E-TRANSIT can you get it brand new or not? I ❤ how Ford did it Isn’t it a HYBRID or is it a Electric Ford van?

[@southland0098]

What is the range if the AC or heater is running?

[@4Lights.5Liights]

140 volt charging system? you need to verify that value. time mark 2:03

[@natehill8069]

Its why he charges so fast😉

[@Magicinstalls]

Not true. Deck height is the same. I measured

[@natehill8069]

I have a gas Transit (250) and I was jealous of how LOW his floor looked...

[@darrinwi]

Charge America is actually faster, here were we are tons of fast chargers ! We went from 16% to 80 in 17 min

[@piotrbalaga681]

Why dont they installed bigger battery?

[@OutMotorsports]

Based on Ford's customer research, the target buyer for the van doesn't need more range than what it can provide. So they say. Now we have an electric Ram ProMaster and electric Sprinter on their way and at least the Sprinter will provide more range.

[@alexolga11]

i might buy it if it will be at least 500 miles range, otherwise no point for me

[@GrumpleslamAlabaster]

Great review. Range is concerning.

[@OutMotorsports]

Thanks! The 2024 E-Transit gets faster charging speeds and more range, up to 159 miles on the low roof (+26%) or about 143 miles (+32%) on the high roof. So, should be more useful for more buyers now.

[@FLORIDIANMILLIONAIRE]

Doesn't look like the standard getaway van

[@Ronick-Q-46]

I know somebody who owns a EV van for his business, and is now having difficulty trying to part exchange it back to diesel, I think that says it all to what he thinks of it. For me I'll never be convinced to buying any EV ever.

[@winstonwolff]

Look at ANY truck stop they are filled with vans 95% of them drive 400+ miles a day. 30% of the transits, sprinters, promasters, NV2500s are local deliveries or long haul expediters. They drive between 150 to 700 miles a day. I average 560 miles a day M-F. Or about 2,800 mi. a WEEK! When someone makes a 250 or 300 mile range on 1 charge thats when the game will be changed for everyone. Of course temperature, use of heat or air, weight of freight, mountians, medium or high winds, a lead foot etc.etc. all really help decide the true range just as much as the KWHs. Now, if we can get more charging stations around the country or at least if we had 70% of them that work. That would help ALOT. If you have ever tried charging a vehicle on the go you find that there may only be 1 charger around you and someone is using it while shopping etc. Or that the only 1 is broken, or its too far away or the wrong connection type or speed etc. Also sometimes you can't use it because it's "private" use only or you have to pay addtl. $10 to park. Or you need to pay $25 for a charge company you may only use once. All the rates are different, also many chargers are in parking garages that are 7 feet tall where these vans will not fit etc. etc. There is ALOT to think about before " going green". It's a joke in America really. Unless you own a Tesla nobody wants to deal with all this BS. Tesla built a charging network out before releasing the vehicles. Smart.

[@OutMotorsports]

For all the vans doing longer-haul routes, there are TONS that are "last mile" vans and travel 50-75 miles per day. This E-Transit will work for those use cases, assuming you can charge overnight when parked as Tyler said. The newer electric work vans coming out will have longer range, but based on a lot of data collection, interviews, and research that Ford did before building the E-Transit, the range of this one does work for enough people that it's worth building.

[@HarleyMartinez-t6e]

Is it a 2024 Ford E-Transit-350 Cargo Van? Or is it a HYBRID

[@OutMotorsports]

The E-Transit is a fully electric van.

[@tommynickels4570]

The battery is a joke. At least the 2024 is bigger but still charging speeds and size too limited.

[@NoSuffix]

The range will be horrible in winter time.

[@jaybirdsworld]

Well their new update just screwed our fleet. We get 80 miles for 80% charge. It is a joke. We were getting 105-110 miles per 80%. There charging network is also horrible. The van would be good if you can plug it in and your guys did not take the vans home. Yes, we have 5 of these. Evgo and electrify America have issues none stop as well. We have also had employees quit because of these vehicles as well.

[@hristodoltchinkov8501]

This car should run for at least 200 miles with one charge

[@wacabby]

real world doesn't actually get more than 120mi

[@tomasperez539]

Similar tesla autopilot/ netflix

[@wacabby]

absolute garbage van, the people at my work (somewhere in management) actually think it's a great idea, which in the real world is terrible. i can't even go out of town for service work. real world range is about 120 miles, worse in extreme hot or cold. resale value is an absolute loss. it costs about $40 to recharge, and at the end of a shift when I'm charging it the company has to pay me overtime to do it because it won't charge enough the previous day or had to get to several worksites. so when you compare it to the same van that has a gas engine, every objective metric we're losing money and losing any advantage to traditional engine.

[@slicktype001]

Fuuuuuuck that

[@romerome6968]

Cenntro

[@RoundTownWithMike]

Does the slave labor in Africa to produce the batteries and the massive carbon footprint to mine the lithium cobalt oxide factor into the range? Just curious

[@anad44]

Most of those pics are FUD. Some are gold mines.😎

[@RoundTownWithMike]

Well as long as we are happy and just don't look over there everything is ok.@@anad44

[@jamessutherland3016]

No it doesn't

[@Simon-dm8zv]

🤦🏻‍♂️

[@arkhamkillzone]

The Australian gov is very unhappy with this comment. Nothing to see here folks. Get your electric vehicle and go green. 😅

[@danieldayan9336]

Ford transit is a joke, 200 miles 😂

[@OutMotorsports]

They're not meant for long-range hauling and Ford says as much! They surveyed a bunch of fleet operators and made the van that fit the needs of many for the time being. As EV capabilities continue to evolve, so will the van but for now, this is an offering that may work for some. For others, the gas-powered Transit is a better option and that is okay.