2019 Ford Tourneo Custom PHEV Debuts As Ultra Efficient People Mover

Among the bounty of big news from the Blue Oval today, the company announces a fully electric Transit for 2021 and plug-in hybrid, eight-seat Tourneo Custom to arrive before the end of the year. The automaker sees them as an option for European businesses that want to ensure their ability to access city centers as more places introduce congestion charges.

Unfortunately, Ford doesn't offer many details about the electric Transit. The van will be available in multiple body variants, and it'll retain a high load capacity, according to the Blue Oval.

The company offers far more info about the Tourneo Custom PHEV, though. Ford's 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine serves as a generator for the 13.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. The electric range is just 31 miles (50 kilometers), but the combustion engine boosts the total range up to 311 miles (500 kilometers).

Drivers can decide how to use the electric power by selecting from multiple driving modes. For example, EV Now only uses the battery; EV Later retains the electric power for use elsewhere; EV Charge optimizes the system for keeping the battery topped up. There are also tweaks to the instruments for displaying the hybrid system's status, selected driving mode, battery life, and charge level.

On the inside, the Tourneo Custom PHEV has as much space as the combustion-powered version because the batteries are under the floor. The modular seating arrangement can transform to let occupants sit face to face.

Ford's made several other electrified vehicle announcements, today. For example, the Explorer gets a plug-in hybrid variant combining a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 an electric motor. In addition, the 2020 Escape is available as a standard hybrid with 198 hp (148 kW) and PHEV variant with 209 hp (156 kW).