(Chicago, February 9, 2010) Ford has unveiled two alternative fuel versions of the Transit Connect compact van at the Chicago Auto Show. The first is the Transit Connect Electric that was announced at this show in 2009. The TC Electric is the first of two battery powered vehicles that Ford will launch over the next year. The other is the Focus Electric coming in 2011.

The Transit Connect Electric will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2010. Since Ford initially announced plans for an electric commercial vehicle in late 2008, the program has undergone a number of changes. Ford's original plan was to collaborate with UK based Smith Electric Vehicles on the TC Electric. In mid-2009, Ford and Smith parted ways as Smith decided to focus on its own Newton electric truck.

Subsequently Ford teamed up with Azure Dynamics, a company which has already been converting Ford E-450 chassis with a hybrid electric powertrain of its own design. Azure has done the primary development of the TC electric drive train and will do the installation in the vans.

The TC Electric uses a 28 kWh lithium ion battery pack provided by long-time Ford partner Johnson Controls-Saft (JCS). JCS also provides the battery pack for the test fleet of plug-in hybrid Ford Escapes. The liquid cooled pack in the van is mounted under the cargo floor so that it doesn't take up any of the storage volume. While the pack doesn't use functional space, it's 600 pound mass does reduce the Transit Connect's load capacity. The suspension of the Transit Connect remains unchanged from the internal combustion version thus the 1,600 pound capacity of the normal van is reduced to 1,000 pounds.

When the TC Electric was first announced, the estimated electric range was claimed to be 100 miles. That range has now been reduced to 80 miles. After the change was made away from Smith, Ford and Azure engineers re-evaluated the performance capability of the BEV. Based on the 28 kWh battery capacity, and the combined EPA driving cycles it was determined that the realistic range was closer to 80 miles. This range provides a reasonable buffer over the 75 mile minimum required by the California Air Resources Board to earn zero emissions vehicle credits.

The energy from the battery is sent to an off the shelf Seimens AC induction motor for vehicle propulsion. Because of the short time frame for this program Ford opted to use mainly off the shelf components and focus on vehicle integration. The primary use case for the TC Electric will be commercial customers in urban or near urban areas. These vehicles will be used within a limited operating radius and return to home base each night where they can be charged. Thus maximizing the range was not deemed to be as critical as it might be for a passenger vehicle like the Focus.

The power electronics are made by Azure Dynamics subsidiary Solectria. The charger is supplied by French manufacturer Brusa and the gearbox is supplied by Borg Warner. The single speed gearbox is actually based on the same unit that Borg Warner supplies to Tesla Motors for its electric Roadster.

When the TC electric was originally announced Ford intended to lease the vehicle to fleets. That plan has now changed as well and Ford will sell the TC electric to any interested customers although the focus remains on commercial applications. The electric version of the van will only be available in the cargo version without the second row seat. The electric versions will be built as gliders at the same Turkish assembly plant that builds all Transit Connects. The van will be shipped without a fuel tank or powertrain to the Detroit area where it will go to a new facility to be setup in southeast Michigan by Azure. Azure will install the batteries, wiring, motors and electronics and then deliver them to customers.

Owners will be able to charge the Transit Connect Electric from either a 240 volt or 120 volt outlet through a standard J1772 charge connecter. 

Ford won't announce pricing until the third quarter of 2010. Initial production will be slow with first year volumes expected to be about 1,000 units.

The second version of the Transit Connect introduced in the Chicago is a taxi that can ordered with either compressed natural gas or propane fuel systems. The taxi version will be targeted at replacing the aging Crown Victoria sedan. Its tall roof design, sliding doors and ample cargo space behind the second row seat will make it better suited to taxi use than the Ford Escape hybrids that are increasingly being used as taxis.

Rather than a hybrid, Transit Connect taxis can be outfitted to run on CNG or LPG. The vans will be shipped by Ford from the factory with a fuel system prepared to run on the alternate fuels as well as an electronic control unit re-calibrated to provide proper performance. From there buyers can have the vehicle sent to an up fitter where the taxi hardware is installed and the gasoline fuel tank is replaced with either a CNG or propane tank.

One of the advantages cited for the Transit Connect as a taxi is its tall architecture with a small footprint on the ground. It is estimated that if Transit Connects were to replace all of the thousands of Crown Victoria sedans used in Chicago as taxis, four acres of space on the city's roads would be freed up.