Ford e-Transit review

This is where the modern van really starts to make sense, and the e-Transit keeps its end up. The usual set of analogue-ish dials in front of the driver, then a clear, crisp 12-inch touchscreen nicked from the Mach-E running Ford’s Sync 4 software in the middle. And it works. Over-the-air updates and live mapping that affects range prediction also help with the day-to-day.

Is there good storage in the cab?

There’s space for everything inside the e-Transit, absolutely acres of storage from cubbies to drinks holders and places to put paperwork, and then lots and lots of creature comforts, from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to standard heated seats and a heated windscreen. There’s also a full suite of advanced driver assist systems on offer, and even though the seats are a bit basic and the plastics are built for abuse rather than finger-feel, it’s a comfy, practical and relatively upmarket place to be. It certainly helps if you’ve got to spend the majority of your working life at the wheel. 

Any useful tech?

Ford has an app that you can use to control or monitor various aspects of the van from your phone. It's useful for locking and unlocking remotely, preconditioning the battery on a cold day or even heating up the cabin while the van is charging. All helps to keep the battery for driving rather than wasting energy on fripperies like driver comfort. And if you’re on-site doing a proper job all day, there’s Pro Power onboard, a vehicle-to-load set-up which delivers 2.3kW of power to whatever you need direct from the traction battery. 

What we mean is, there are a couple of three-pin sockets in the back that you can option, so you can charge a laptop, juice up some hair straighteners or power a bandsaw for just a couple of miles of range per hour. That’s handy – just plug’n’play. As mentioned, in terms of absolute practicality, it really depends on which spec you have the e-Transit in – different wheelbases and box heights for the panel van, crew cabs, specialist fitment...