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Ford Transit Custom Plug-in Hybrid Makes Debut at UK Trade Show

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Ford Transit Custom Plug-in Hybrid

Ford this month revealed its new Transit Custom Plug-in Hybrid at Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle 2017, which took place in Millbrook. The Transit Custom PHEV breaks cover as the automaker ramps up a 12-month trial that will see select London fleet customers make use of 20 low-emissions vans in day-to-day operations.

“For more than 50 years, businesses have relied on Ford Transits to get the job done, and we are determined to maintain that tradition as we move into the electric age,” said Mark Harvey, Director, urban electrified van program, Ford of Europe. “Seeing the PHEV Transits on the road is an exciting milestone, and we look forward to teaming up with our London partners and customers to explore how these vans can reduce emissions and operator costs in the city.”

It’s estimated that commercial vehicles make some 280,000 trips in London on any given weekday, covering around eight million miles in the process. This results in a considerable amount of carbon emissions, which the presence of eco-friendlier options like the Ford Transit Custom PHEV would help to reduce. Ford’s plug-in hybrid van is powered by a hybrid system that uses the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine as a range extender and provides upwards of 31 miles of zero-emission, all-electric driving on a charge.

“Cleaner vans, like those being used in this trial, will be vital in helping the freight and fleet sector to reduce the emissions and play its part in tackling the Capital’s air quality crisis. We are also using the data from the trial, which will be an invaluable resource for our LoCITY program that encourages commercial businesses to use greener vehicles,” said Lilli Matson, Transport for London’s Director of Transport Strategy.

Ford is the first volume automaker to utilize PHEV technology in the commercial van market; the Transit Custom Plug-in Hybrid is set for volume production in 2019.

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