When Ford submitted its business plan to Congress, a new electric van was mentioned that is scheduled to debut in 2010 for commercial fleet use. We expect to hear more about the automaker's EV plans in very short order, but in the meantime, CEO Alan Mulally is now indicating that it will be a version of the Transit line that is currently available in Europe and is scheduled to hit American shores in the summer of '09. This news, while interesting, should come as anything but a shocker, considering that the Transit line is vastly smaller, lighter and more aerodynamic than the behemoth full-sizers that Ford currently offers in the States (see gallery below). Though it might actually be relatively easy to electrify a large E-Series rear-wheel drive van, that platform probably doesn't warrant much further development. Now that the smaller front-wheel drive Transit line is going global, money is better spent working on those underpinnings. Next question: will it come from Smith Electric Vehicles?
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
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