All-electric Transit debuts in 2023

Ford’s next-generation Transit Custom van and Tourneo minibus range will include an all-electric model along with plug-in hybrid (PHEV), mild hybrid and conventional engine variants.

Production will start at Ford Otosan, the company’s joint venture in Kocaelli, Turkey, in the first half of 2023.

The factory will also build Volkswagen one-tonne commercial vehicle as part of the Ford-Volkswagen alliance.

Ford Otosan’s Kocaeli factory opened in 2001 and since 2004 has been the main plant building Transit Customs and Transit two-tonners.

Otosan-built trucks make up about 85% of Transit family sales.  

“Transit Custom is the jewel in our commercial vehicle crown and key in our drive to grow our commercial vehicle business as we continue to create a sustainable, profitable Ford business in Europe rooted in an electrified future,” says Ford of Europe president Stuart Rowley.

“Commercial vehicle growth and leveraging partnerships such as our joint venture with Ford Otosan are key enablers to Ford of Europe’s future success.”

Last year, Ford achieved its sixth successive year as Europe’s commercial vehicle sales leader, a trend that has continued into 2021.

Ford says its entire commercial vehicle range will be zero-emissions capable, all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2024, and it expects two-thirds of its commercial vehicle sales to be all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030.

However, it realises that not all commercial vehicle operators will move to all-electric vehicles in a single jump.

That’s why the next Transit will have a range of powertrains from mild hybrids through to plug-in hybrids and diesels.

The Transit announcement is positive news for other Ford factories in Europe, the company says. England’s Dagenham plant will provide advanced technology diesel engines; Cologne in Germany will supply transmissions.

And more than 100 Turkish suppliers will provide components for the Transit Custom. 

Ford’s relationship with Turkey’s Koc Holding began in 1928, and today Ford Otosan is the leading company in Turkey’s motor industry and one of the longest running and most successful joint ventures in the global vehicle industry.