Ford Australia locks in new diesel, electric van range

Ford Australia has confirmed the next-generation diesel-powered Transit Custom will arrive Down Under in 2024.

That means it’ll arrive during the same year as the new E-Transit Custom electric van, and end the 10-year run of the current, first-generation model.

In Europe, the new Transit Custom is available with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel in four different tunes. Of greatest relevance to Australia are the two tunes available with an eight-speed automatic transmission: one with 100kW, the other with 125kW.

The new Transit Custom gains the option of an all-wheel drive system, while maximum towing capacity has been increased to 2500kg.

In some markets like Europe, a plug-in hybrid will continue to be offered. This features a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an 11.8kWh battery, with a claimed 56km of electric range.

The new Transit Custom continues to be offered as a panel van or a double cab van. As before, there’s also a people-carrying version called the Tourneo Custom, which is unlikely to come here.

Under the skin, the Transit Custom is built on a new platform also expected to underpin the next-generation T7 Volkswagen Transporter.

Ford says the Transit Custom’s “all-new vehicle architecture” has allowed it to lower the floor height, and to keep the vehicle below 2.0 metres tall.

It has an independent rear suspension, and will be offered in four guises: short-wheelbase or long-wheelbase, coupled with a low or high roof.

Inside, the Transit Custom features a 13-inch Sync 4 infotainment touchscreen, while some models have a steering wheel that folds to act as a desk.

Topping the Transit Custom range is the E-Transit Custom, which uses a 74kWh battery pack and a 160kW/415Nm electric motor.

Using the 11kW AC three-phase charger, you’ll be able to fully recharge the E-Transit Custom’s battery in a claimed 7.2 hours.

E-Transit Custom

It also supports DC fast charging at up to 125kW, with a 15-80 per cent recharge taking a claimed 41 minutes. Range on the stricter WLTP cycle is up to 380km.

The battery is integrated into the load floor above the sill flange, which Ford says eliminates the need for separate crash structures, while the motor is fitted to the vehicle’s rear floor and rotated 90 degrees to maximise cargo space.

The E-Transit Custom is one of five electric vehicles Ford Australia is launching by the end of 2024. The larger E-Transit is already out, the Mustang Mach-E is arriving this year, and the Puma EV and another, as-yet unspecified EV are due in 2024.

MORE: Everything Ford Transit Custom