New electric Ford Courier van aims at European cities, start-ups

Ford unveiled a new electric Courier van aimed at winning business customers in Europe, and boxing out electric van start-ups such as Arrival.

The E-Transit Courier is part of a revamped line-up of smaller, commercial vans for the European market that will also include petrol and diesel models, Ford said. The new Courier vans are 25% larger than the current model, and will carry heavier loads, Ford Pro chief Ted Cannis said in an interview.

The E-Transit Courier will respond to European commercial customers who operate in cities, such as Paris, where officials have mapped out plans to ban combustion vehicles from city centres, Cannis said. The E-Transit Courier will launch next year.

However, Cannis said, European countries are not shifting to electric vehicles at the same pace. “Country by country, it's dramatically different,” he said. Petrol Couriers will stay in the line-up, with new models launching this summer.

“You have to mix and match all options market by market,” he said. “Which is what makes it so different for new players.”

Separately, Cannis said Ford expects many US commercial fleet customers will receive $7,500 (roughly R136,262) tax credits if they buy electric Transit vans. New US government rules will cut the tax credit for retail buyers of electric Transit vans to $3,750 (roughly R68,131) as of April 18, Ford said on Wednesday.

Ford is collaborating with accounting firm Ernst & Young to advise US commercial customers on whether they will qualify for $7,500 tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act.