As part of London’s efforts to lower vehicle emissions in the city, Ford has made available for test purposes a fleet of 20 plug-in hybrid vans for use by commercial operators.
The project will see Ford teaming up with the city’s transit agency, Transport for London, in addition to a number of privately-operated fleets; and will make use of prototypes of Ford’s recently announced plug-in hybrid Transit Custom vans.
The vehicle is one of 13 new electrified Ford models the manufacturer plans to introduce globally over the next five years.
“With the specially developed plug-in hybrids, Ford of Europe’s commercial vehicles unit also will be able to test software and telematics with enormous potential to reduce emissions and operating costs in the city,” says Jim Farley, Ford of Europe’s chairman and chief executive.
Ford anticipates that the most common trips run by the vans will be of relatively short range, allowing them to operate extensively in all-electric mode.
