Performance & drive
What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is
By now, most people know that electric vehicles can be quick, but surely an electric van isn’t going to be setting any land speed records. Well, don't count on that, because the Ford E-Transit is the most powerful van on the market.
The top-rated version has a massive 261bhp available, and there’s also a less powerful 181bhp model. Both will be far quicker than any large van you’re likely to have driven, and the E-Transit is instantly fast and effortless in the way it builds speed. Indeed, fleet managers will have to really trust their drivers not to floor the accelerator pedal at every opportunity.
Regenerative braking, a mainstay of electric vehicles, is done in two ways in the E-Transit. You can set it for a high level of braking by using the L mode button on the dash, or choose a two-stage method controlled by taps on the brake pedal – the first touch gives you a medium amount of braking, but if you press again, the braking force increases to the high level.
There are three different driving modes available, Normal, Eco and Slippery, so you can choose to have power and acceleration limited to preserve the battery charge or match the road conditions.
