The Ford Motor Company has been the leading maker of work vehicles since dirt was young. While known for its F-150, its vans have long been popular with contractors, plumbers and delivery services. And come next year, they’ll have another, greener option: The 2010 Transit Connect BEV.
With a drive train made by Azure Dynamics and lithium-ion batteries from Johnson Controls-Saft, Ford’s all-electric van will travel 80 miles on one charge. Ford is already marketing the model to companies with large vehicle fleets. It is expected to save between $12 and $15 in gas per vehicle per day, not to mention hundreds of dollars a year in associated costs of internal combustion like oil, coolant and maintenance.
