Ford’s forthcoming E-Transit fully electric van has undergone a punishing testing regime to prove it’s as durable as its diesel-powered sister models.

The testing involves extreme heat and cold plus torturous potholed roads and surfaces

The all-electric version of the van debuts early 2022 and has already been put through a series of rigorous ‘torture tests’ to recreate some of the harsh conditions the vans could see in a lifetime on the roads, while on-road testing with fleets will follow.

Carried out to simulate a decade’s worth of hard work in just 12 weeks, the testing (see video here) included challenging winter driving conditions in Michigan, US, and also simulated extreme heat, cold and altitude in Ford’s Environmental Test Chamber in Cologne, Germany.

Test vehicles were also put through the giant potholes and rough road surfaces at the company’s Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium. Separate E-Transit testing is being conducted at the Dunton Technical Centre in Essex.

Andrew Mottram, chief programme engineer E-Transit, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe, explained: “We test all our vans in conditions above and beyond anything they are likely to face in the hands of customers. The all-electric E-Transit is no different – by pushing it to the limit in our controlled test environments, we can be confident that it will reliably serve our customers as they switch to all-electric power for their businesses.”

The tests evaluated the all-electric powertrain and cabin environment for performance and efficiency in extremes of both hot and cold conditions, while its rear suspension was put to the test over dedicated tracks of bumps, potholes and cobbles.

Durability of the E-Transit’s battery pack, electric motor and unique rear suspension were tested by repeatedly driving the new model through mud and salt baths and through saltwater sprays, simulating winter roads and fords as well as testing the components’ corrosion resistance. The electric motor’s reliability was proven by running it continuously for 125 days.

The E-Transit’s readiness for work will be further proven through extensive customer trials in the supermarket, utility and last mile delivery sectors beginning later this year. These will help Ford further improve customers’ experience of operating E-Transits.

The Ford E-Transit will make its public UK debut on the Ford stand at this year’s CV Show on 31 August 2021. For more details of the event, click here.