HPM
BUSINESS
VANS
“The data collected is helping Ford to better
understand how to optimise the hybrid powertrain
and explore how lower-emission, plug-in hybrid
electric vans could support cleaner air targets”
Plug-in hybrid efficiency
Ford has officially unveiled the production version of its
Transit Custom plug-in hybrid electric vehicle which goes
on sale next year, and has also announced engine additions
to the Transit Connect line-up. HPM’s Alex Willis has all the
details in his round-up of this month’s van news.
Ford’s new Transit Custom PHEV
features a hybrid powertrain system
that targets a zero-emission driving
range of 30 miles and uses the
1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine as a range
extender for a total range exceeding 300
miles.
The vehicle uses a series-hybrid
driveline configuration, the front wheels
being driven exclusively by an electric
motor rather than by the combustion
engine.
Power for the motor is provided by a
compact 14kWh liquid-cooled, lithium-ion
battery pack located under the load floor
and carefully positioned to preserve the
full cargo volume offered by the standard
Transit Custom van and a payload
exceeding 1,000kg. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost
engine generates additional charge for the
batteries when required.
Using the charge port located within
the front bumper, the Transit Custom
PHEV can be charged using a domestic
240V 10-amp power supply, achieving
full charge in five hours, or a commercial
240V 16 or 32-amp supply to bring the
pack to full charge in three hours.
Ford Transit Custom PHEV prototypes
are undergoing a 12-month real-world
trial with fleet customers in London,
covering in excess of 30,000 miles to date,
and further trials will begin in Valencia,
Spain.
The vans – equipped with telematics
systems – gather data on operational and
environmental performance, including
charging patterns, journey patterns and
real electric-only range.
The data collected is helping Ford to
better understand how to optimise the
hybrid powertrain and explore how loweremission,
plug-in hybrid electric vans
could support cleaner air targets while
boosting productivity for operators in
urban conditions. The PHEV model will
enter volume production in the second
half of 2019.
Transit Connect is now available with
either a new 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel
engine or 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol
engine. The former meets the latest Euro
6 emissions standards calculated using
the World Harmonised Light Vehicle
Test Procedure. It is available with three
power outputs: 75 and 100PS offering
fuel efficiency from 60mpg; and 120PS
delivering from 56mpg.
The 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine
features optimised cylinder head, fuel
injection and emission-control systems
for enhanced fuel efficiency and carbon
dioxide (CO2) efficiency.
It also introduces cylinder deactivation
technology to the Transit range for the
first time, helping achieve fuel efficiency
from 44mpg and CO2 emissions
from 146g/km. A six-speed manual
transmission is standard for all engines,
while an eight-speed automatic is now
available for the 100 and 120PS 1.5-litre
EcoBlue engine variants.
Short and long wheelbase options
provide load volumes up to 3.6cu m,
payload capacity ranges from 410 to 900kg
and body styles include van, kombi and
double-cab-in-van. Transit Connect is
also now available in Sportvan trim with
exterior styling kit, signature bonnet
stripes and dark stainless alloy wheels.
ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE
More than 1,300 people were injured
by parking or reversing vans in 2016,
according to figures from the Department
for Transport.
In fact, parking and reversing account
for almost one in ten serious van
accidents, according to an investigation
by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Far
more parking and reversing incidents also
occur which do not have a direct ‘human’
impact but which will inevitably affect
business operations. Downtime costs an
average of £550 a day/van while average
UK car repair bills stand at £1,678, says
Volkswagen.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles offers driver
assistance systems across its range of Caddy,
Transporter and Crafter vans to help drivers avoid
accidents
Transit Connect is available with a 1.5-litre EcoBlue
diesel engine and 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine
offers driver assistance systems across its
range of Caddy, Transporter and Crafter
vans. Park Assist helps eliminate the
risk of accidents by parking the vehicle
automatically. To use the system, drivers
simply press a button and the vehicle uses
multiple sensors to steer itself into the
tightest parking spots. All drivers have to
do is operate the pedals to execute the
manoeuvre.
DROWSY DRIVING
Scientists have developed a blood test
that could help police identify suspected
drowsy drivers in road traffic accidents
or help employers assess an employee’s
fitness to drive.
Previous research in this area has
shown that drivers who get just one to
two hours less than the recommended
daily allowance in a 24-hour period nearly
double their risk for a car crash.
A spokesperson for Surrey Sleep
Research Centre at the University of
Surrey said: “This is a test for acute total
sleep loss; the next step is to identify
biomarkers for chronic insufficient sleep,
which we know to be associated with
adverse health outcomes.”
16 Heating & Plumbing Monthly | OCTOBER 2018 | www.hpmmag.com
/www.hpmmag.com
