The Ford Transit Connect Electric should go on sale later in 2010

Ford has unveiled its first all-electric vehicle, the Ford Transit Connect Electric, a small van that should go into production in late 2010.

Revealing its plans for the vehicle at the Chicago motor show, Ford said its zero-emission Transit Connect Electric has targeted range of up to 80 miles per full charge, and will be rechargeable using either 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlets.

The vehicle is designed for fleet owners that have “well-defined routes of predictable distances and a central location for daily recharging”, the motor manufacturer said.

Commercial vehicle fleet owners are being advised that compared to gasoline-powered vehicles, the electric van will have “dramatically” reduced numbers of moving parts, meaning it will require much less maintenance.

The vehicles will need no oil changes or tune-ups, with no components like belts, spark plugs, injectors or exhaust system to replace, and no liquid fuel system to freeze or clog.

The company is working with Michigan-based battery technology firm Azure Dynamics Corporation to fit the Transit Connect Electric with Azure’s Force Drive battery electric powertrain.

The vehicle will use advanced lithium-ion batteries made by and Johnson Controls-Saft.

Ford said the vehicle would be followed by three more electric vehicles over the next few years – the Focus Electric in 2011, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2012 and a next-generation hybrid in 2012.

“Energy-efficient”

“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.”

The Transit Connect Electric will accelerate at a similar rate as the gas-powered Transit Connect, and will have a top speed of 75 mph, its manufacturer said, with a targeted range of up to 80 miles on a full charge.

Owners will have the option of recharging the Transit Connect Electric with either a standard 120V outlet or preferably a 240V charge station installed at the user’s base of operations for optimal recharging in six to eight hours.

A transportable cord that works with both types of outlets will be available for recharging at both kinds of locations.

The vehicle’s charge port is located above the passenger-side rear wheel well. The onboard liquid-cooled 28-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is charged by connecting the charge port to a power outlet. Inside the vehicle, an onboard charger converts the AC power from the electric grid to DC power to charge the battery pack.

As with the existing gasoline-powered Transit Connect, the electric version will include 135 cubic feet of cargo volume, with 59.1 inches of floor-to-ceiling load height, 47.8 inches of load width between the wheel arches, and a load length of 72.6 inches.

“We’re excited about the potential for our electrified vehicles,” said Praveen Cherian, program manager for the Transit Connect Electric, who added that today’s electric vehicle buyers are similar to early adopters of hybrid vehicles.

“People were a little hesitant about hybrid technology at first, but now they accept it and embrace it. We expect the same will be true of electric vehicles.”