Ford Names Azure Dynamics to Collaborate on Transit Connect Electric Van

Plans Change after Smith Electric Vehicles, Ford Mutually Dissolve Prior Agreement

Ford Motor Co. says it has selected Azure Dynamics to build the upcoming Ford Transit Connect electric delivery van after the automaker and Britain's Smith Electric Vehicles mutually decided to sever their longstanding ties.

Smith, which has been using Ford truck chassis in Europe for its electric trucks, had been named last year as builder of the Transit Connect battery-electric vehicle. 

The word we hear is that Smith, which has a North American offshoot, Smith Electric Vehicles U.S., decided the small-EV market is getting too competitive and is going to concentrate its resources on the large-truck segment.

The change won't delay the planned launch of the electric van, though, said Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Moore. "We're still on track for late 2010," she told Green Car Advisor.

Azure, which already works with Ford on the hybrid version of the E450 commercial van due next year, will used its proprietary "ForceDrive" battery-electric powertrain for the Transit Connect EV.

The small delivery truck is the first of several electric vehicles Ford is bringing to market. It will be followed in 2011 by a battery-electric Focus compact and in 2012 by a plug-in hybrid built on the platform that is shared by the Focus and the Escape SUV.

Ford hasn't announced a battery supplier for the Focus EV, but is using the same supplier - Johnson Controls-Saft - for the 2012 plug-in that Azure will be using for the Transit Connect EV and the E450 hybrid. Azure has a development agreement with the battery maker.

Sharing the battery supplier on the projects will be a plus in the development process. Moore said.

Posted by

John O'Dell October 30, 2009, 12:20 PM

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Batteries, Ford, Plug-ins and Electric, Smith

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EV, Ford Transit Connect BEV, Transit Connect EV