Ford announces electric transit van to be launched in 2010.

Ford has just announced that in 2010 it will be introducing its first pure electric van. Not suprisingly they've chosen the "Transit Connect" as the base for their electric van. The "electric Transit Connect" will be available to businesses only, and initally will only be available in a small number of Ford Dealers in the US. It's unclear when they will launch it in the UK and the US launch is almost certainly a test to see what the uptake for such a van would be, so it's unlikely you'll be hiring one next year but maybe a few years later on instead.

Derrick Kuzak the Ford's group vice president for global product development said "The new Transit Connect light commercial vehicle with battery electric power represents the next logical step in our pursuit of even greater fuel economy and sustainability," in an annoucement by Ford. The launch of this electric van is part of a long term strategy of Ford's which they announced in January, which also includes a battery powered car by 2011 and improved hybrid vehicles in 2012.

There are some limitations on the van as with any technology in its infancy such as range is only about 100 miles on a fully charged battery.

Ford is working with Smith Electric Vehicles in the UK, who currently modify existing vehicles to use electric power (they already have their own electric conversion of the transit van). Ford isn't alone in it's plans and several other manufacturers are introducing more electric and hybrid vehicles next year, including Vauxhall, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota.