2024 Ford Transit Connect adds a PHEV powertrain and optional AWD

Two years later, Ford's cycle of electrified van launches for the European market is complete with this, the Transit Connect PHEV. First off the line was the 2022 Ford E-Transit, followed by the one-ton 2024 E-Transit Custom, then the 2025 E-Transit Courier. The Transit Connect doesn't adopt an all-electric version like these others; a PHEV powertrain is the closest it gets. We don't think buyers will complain, with the PHEV specs offering a great blend of electric capability and infinite range.

A 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder pairs with an electric motor to produce a combined 148 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, sent through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to the front axle. The battery of unknown capacity targets an estimated 69 miles of electric-only driving and can be charged at an AC outlet or max out at a 50-kW DC charger. Payload capacity comes to 1,698 pounds, the tow rating 3,175 pounds.

Customer's who'd need all-wheel drive or a higher payload rating can get a 2.0-liter EcoBlue four-cylinder in two outputs. The less potent 101-hp version is front-wheel-drive only. The 120-hp oil burner can be optioned with all-wheel drive, and depending on configuration, can up payload capacity to 1,808 pounds. 

Short- and long-wheelbase flavors support a reworked load bay that swallows 109.5 cubic feet or 131.7 cubic feet, respectively. Pure haulers might select the two-seat van interior, but dual-purpose owners who want to shuttle people with the five-seat Kombi version will still be able to move weight. The new flexible seating design in the Kombi allows the rear seats to fold forward and upward, increasing the rear load area enough to load two European-sized pallets in the long-wheelbase van. The folded seats also continue to act as a bulkhead between the load and the front-row occupants, adding to safety and refinement. 

The cockpit fits all the techy bits everyone likes, the configurable 10-inch digital cluster and 10-inch infotainment screen working with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus wireless charging and plenty of USB charging ports. The catalog of standard and optional advanced driver assistance systems runs from pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking to a rear-view camera and Pro Trailer Backup Assist.

Order books will open in the spring of this year, deliveries begin sometime in summer. That's overseas only, of course, the Transit Connect having left our market last year, demand not where Ford wanted it, and the automaker wanting more factory capacity to make electric vehicles.