Deliveries of Ford Transit Connect Electric to hit 700 by end of 2011

Technically, Azure Dynamics – not Ford – is the manufacturer of record for the Transit Connect Electric. That's why it's AD that's thrilled to announce that sales of the electric van are booming and that production will be ramped up to meet soaring demand.

AD says that some 700 battery-powered Transits will be delivered by the end of 2011. Azure chief executive officer Scott Harrison says "the order book is building" for the Transit Connect and notes that there are already some 40 to 50 units on the streets.

Most of the initial sales, about 500 according to Harrison, will be in North America, with the remainder selling in Europe, particularly Scandinavia and the UK. However, Harrison believes that high fuel prices in Europe will eventually tip the scales the other way.

The Transit Connect Electric stickers at $57,400, but qualifies for the $7,500 federal tax incentive, which means that for $49,900, fleet customers in the U.S. get a van that emits absolutely nothing, travels 60 to 80 miles on a full charge and costs little to "refuel."

[Source: Ward's Auto – sub. req.]