Automotive Fleet, January 2021

AUTOMOTIVE FLEET I JANUARY 2021 24 ELECTRIFICATIONthe need to install inverters because you can power an orbital sander and a miter saw at the same time for an entire day at a construction zone or whatever other tool youre using and still have plenty of range to get back to where you need to go It just makes it a lot easier for our customers to get the work done said Julius Marchwicki chief operating officer for Ford Commercial Solutions Many fleets install inverters into their current vans to power tools and equipment on the jobsite Pro Power Onboard allows this without having to rely on external inverter upfits The E Transit is capable of up to 24 kilowatts of exportable power which is enough to accommodate a variety of tools used at a jobsite ENHANCED ADAS FEATURES With the E Transit Ford has significantly enhanced the suite of driver assist technologies for safer and more efficient driving Reverse Brake Assist is new for the E Transit It applies brakes while reversing when an object is detected And linked to that is the new 360 degree cameras providing views from front rear and side of the vehicle Weve introduced a new rotary e shifter which replaces the gear lever opening up more leg room around the steering area said Marchwicki At Ford well be offering an ecosystem of charging solutions to fit all charging needs at home at your business solution or on the road said Hetman The Ford E Transit has a central charge point in the upper grille Many companies allow their employees to take their work vans home at night To ensure that E Transit drivers will be ready for work the next morning the standard Ford mobile charger will deliver up to 10 miles of range per charging hour when plugged into a 240 volt outlet However for those who need faster home charging Ford will also offer the Ford Connected Charge Station It will provide up to 15 miles per charging hour and can charge the E Transit to 100 in 8 hours even if starting from a fully depleted battery POWER ONBOARD ON DEMAND An important consideration in the design of the E Transit was access to power which was viewed as essential Most companies use inverters or external power supplies The capability to use the power from an electric vehicle battery is a real advantage allowing workers to plug in tools anywhere That 67 kilowatt battery is what powers up to 24 kilowatts This basically eliminates seats to make it easier to walk through to access the cargo area The battery in the cargo van is fully underneath the floor so its uncompromised cargo whether its payload or upfits On the chassis cab its also in between the frame rails underneath So the important part there is whether youre talking cargo van or chassis cab the ability to still have the same or similar type of upfits is whats important said Hetman The battery is manufactured by LG Chem which is the same supplier for the battery in the Mustang Mach E RECHARGING OPTIONS In the current pandemic delivery companies are keeping people stocked up with food and supplies at home or work We know their vehicles drive regular routes short but intensive with lots of stopping and starting often 200 plus times a day said Cannis And theyre usually part of a large fleet based at a warehouse or distribution depot which would be ideal for efficient charging And these vehicles have to be connected and tracked by the operators possibly even geofenced for maximum productivity Giving the fleet manager optimal control from his or her desk So all together they need enough range for their daily route and they need efficient charging overnight Ford is providing simplified access to North Americas largest public charging network Over 13500 chargers that also includes access to the DC fast charging network for when you need a quick boost We expect that global demand for full size vans will grow another third by the end of this decade including a potential market for 11 million full size fully electric connected commercial vehicles worldwide said Ted Cannis general manager North American Commercial Business for Ford Motor Company When we looked at 30 million miles of telematics analysis for work vans the average commercial van in the U S only drives 74 miles on the average day said Yaro Hetman global marketing director electric trucks vans and commercial vehicles for Ford Motor Company