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2020 Ford Transit Custom Plug-in Hybrid detailed, not for Oz

The new Ford Transit Custom Plug-in Hybrid van and Torneo Custom Plug-in Hybrid eight-seat people mover have been detailed for the European market this week.


Both are technically a range-extended electric vehicles, despite the 'Plug-in Hybrid' naming, as the 93kW electric motor is the only thing driving the front wheels.

When the 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack is fully charged, the Transit Custom PHEV has a pure-electric driving range using the older NEDC standard of around 56 kilometres. The slightly heavier Torneo Custom PHEV has a stated 53km EV range.

The car's 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine serves only to recharge the battery pack. Total range with a full battery and tank of fuel is said to be over 500 kilometres.

Recharging time using a 240V 10-amp power supply is claimed to around 4 hours 20 minutes, or roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes with a Type-2 fast charger.

There are four selectable drive modes: EV Auto, EV Now where the 1.0-litre engine is shut down until the battery level is critical, EV Charge which forces the range-extender to top up the battery pack, and EV Later which attempts to keep the battery to at least the current level.

Standard features on both plug-in hybrid models include a new instrumentation cluster with real-time energy display, a heated windscreen and air conditioning.

Options include 12V Epower pack, which allows power tools, lights and other equipment to be run using energy from the van's lithium-ion battery and can deliver up to 6kW of power.

From the second quarter of 2020, the plug-in hybrid vans will also be available with a geofencing module, which switches the car automatically to EV mode whenever it enters a low-emissions zone.

Production of the Transit Custom PHEV and Torneo Custom PHEV begins later this year. Ford of Europe will begin accepting orders some time in late 2019.

Ford Australia says it has "nothing to announce" regarding the local introduction of the new electrified vans.

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