FOLLOWING on from Ford’s announcement that it plans to introduce 13 new global electrified vehicles over five-years including Transit plug-in hybrid vans, the company has announced a multi-million pound project designed to help air quality in London.
Supported by Transport for London, Ford’s plan is to run a 12-month trial of 20 new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of its best-selling Transit Custom van, that can run solely on electric power for most urban deliveries or maintenance, thus reducing local emissions.
Commercial vehicles in London make 280,000 journeys per day, travelling 8 million miles, with vans making up 75 per cent of peak freight traffic.
So it will be interesting to see how these 20 special Plug-in Hybrid Transits loaned to a range of commercial fleets across London (including Transport for London’s fleet), could contribute to cleaner air targets, while boosting productivity in urban conditions.
It is hoped that the project, supported by Transport for London, will reduce local emissions as these Transits could run solely on electric power for the majority of city trips. This project is supported financially by the U.K. Government-funded Advanced Propulsion Centre.
Speaking of this project, Ford chairman and CEO Jim Farley said: “This exciting project in London shows how innovative technology can help improve the prosperity and quality of life in our congested cities.”
