Ford starts production of electric Transit and Mondeo Sportwagon hybrid

29 October 2018

Ford has started production of an electric delivery van in Germany using technology provided by Deutsche Post start-up StreetScooter.

Based on a Transit chassis, the medium-sized electric delivery van, known as the StreetScooter WORK XL, is fitted with a battery-electric drivetrain and a body designed and built to the German company’s specifications.

Around 180 Ford employees are working in two shifts to build up to 16 WORK XL models per day, providing an annual production capacity of 3,500 units.

′Manufacturing the StreetScooter WORK XL at our plant in Cologne brings together perfectly Ford’s unrivalled expertise in commercial vehicle production along with StreetScooter’s strengths as an agile start-up company,’ said Joerg Beyer, managing director, Product Development, Ford of Europe. ′This joint project underlines that as well as being a volume manufacturer, we can also deliver smaller production runs.’

WORK XL is the largest delivery van in the StreetScooter portfolio, with a load volume of 20m3, room for more than 200 packages, and a payload of up to 1,275kg. Ford will manufacture the van with a range of electric motors and lithium-ion batteries, delivering up to 90kW and a maximum torque of 276Nm. With a battery capacity of up to 76kWh, the WORK XL has a range of up to 200 kilometres, the carmaker says in a statement. Compared with diesel models, each electric delivery van will offer a reduction in CO2 emissions of 5 tonnes each year and a saving of 1,900 litres of fuel.

Deutsche Post DHL is using the WORK XL to support its urban parcel delivery service in Germany, while the future availability of the electric van to third-party customers is under consideration.

′With Ford, we have found the ideal partner who understands our flexible and customer-oriented way of production. Together, we are promoting electromobility in Germany and making inner-city delivery traffic more environmentally friendly and quieter. With the new WORK XL StreetScooter, we now have the perfect e-van for parcel delivery in metropolitan areas, which in the future will also benefit other transport companies,’ said Achim Kampker, CEO and founder, StreetScooter.

Electrified powertrains will play a key role in Ford’s European product line-up. The company is investing €9.5 billion and plans to deliver 16 fully electric vehicles within a global portfolio of 40 electrified vehicles through 2022.

Meanwhile, despite rumours that it was ending production of the Mondeo model, Ford has announced it will enhance the Mondeo Hybrid petrol-electric vehicle range, including the introduction of the first practical and spacious Mondeo Hybrid wagon variant, from 2019.

The new Mondeo Hybrid wagon will enable customers who require greater load-carrying capability to benefit from the efficiency and refinement of an electric powertrain in many driving scenarios while maintaining the driving range and freedom offered by a traditional combustion engine. The Mondeo wagon body style was developed exclusively for customers in Europe.

′For many customers the practicality offered by a wagon body style is an absolute must, so we’re excited to announce that from next year those drivers will also be able to reduce their fuel bills using the sophisticated petrol-electric powertrain of our new Mondeo Hybrid wagon,’ said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. ′Electrified powertrains will continue to play a key role in our European product line-up. Ford is investing $11 billion and plans to deliver 16 fully electric vehicles within a global portfolio of 40 electrified vehicles through 2022.’