Ford E-Transit Review: An EV with an ICE soul

Another aspect of the Ford E-Transit that was developed over time and with customer input is the vehicle’s improved charging time, now available thanks to dual onboard chargers. Using a 180-kW or higher DC charger, the E-Transit can charge from 10% to 80% in just 28 minutes—perfect for a lunch break top-off. Using a lower-powered DC charger, the EV can charge from 10% to 80% in 82 minutes. But the new E-Transit also charges faster than the previous generation when using AC power. It takes 6 hours and 11 minutes for the EV to charge from 0 to 100% using an 80-amp home charger.

In addition to its charging tech, the E-Transit also features safety technology. Standard safety features in the Ford E-Transit include: lane keep assist with alert; drowsy detection; pre-collision assist with automatic braking; automatic high beams; high-resolution camera; and rain-sensing wipers.

The Ford E-Transit is available with Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 safety system. This feature includes all of the above with the addition of blind spot assist, reverse brake assist, adaptive cruise control, intersection assist, an exit warning system, and an available 360-degree camera.

E-Transit: an EV with an ICE soul

What separates the Ford E-Transit from other electric vans on the market is that it is designed to accommodate a seamless transition from ICE to EV. And that stretches from the drivers’ perspective to the upfitters’ perspective.

“We designed the E-Transit to be as simple and as common as its gas brethren as possible,” Sean Masson, Ford Pro brand manager for the Transit and E-Transit, told FleetOwner.

For a driver, the Ford E-Transit's infotainment system, the instrument cluster, tires and wheels, basic ergonomics—all of those aspects are identical to its gas counterpart, Masson said. For the upfitter, the E-Transit has “100% commonality” with the gas version, allowing fleets to install their current suite of upfits in the EV with no modifications.

In my experience with the Ford van, it did seem that the E-Transit was a carbon copy of the Transit but with an electrified powertrain. As Masson said, many of the aspects are familiar, and while that sounds ideal in theory, some of those familiar aspects caught me off guard. One was an unnecessary fuel gauge and the other being the absence of a one-pedal drive feature that’s available in many electric vehicles. And unfortunately, I didn’t get to use the regenerative braking feature because I was unaware that the switch to activate it was the “L” on the gear shifter (which in an ICE vehicle is strictly reserved for shifting the vehicle into low gear).

I did, however, get a rundown about the E-Transit's regenerative braking from a Ford Pro rep: When using regenerative braking, the vehicle behaves much like any other EV with regenerative braking with an immediate slowing after letting off the accelerator.

But while it has regenerative braking, as previously mentioned, the Ford E-Transit still doesn’t have a one-pedal drive mode. The biggest difference here is that instead of having to press the accelerator to get the vehicle to move as is required in many EVs, the E-Transit will “creep” forward when the driver lets off the brake pedal—much like how an ICE vehicle operates.

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How the E-Transit drives

Coming straight off a weeklong test of another electric vehicle, I immediately noticed the differences in the design of the Ford E-Transit compared to other EVs. The “seamless transition” Ford shot for with the design of its first- and second-generation Ford E-Transit was apparent, as it took very little time to get accustomed to driving the EV, unlike other EVs I’ve driven.

What made the adjustment so easy was everything Masson mentioned: the familiar instrument cluster, infotainment, ergonomics, etc. There was little about the E-Transit I had to learn before or during any trip I took in the electric cargo van.

As I mentioned, I did not use the regenerative braking feature during my time with the E-Transit. However, I did notice a bit more force when pressing the brakes and perhaps even a quicker slowdown. Masson told me this is known as a “deceleration system,” and each time the brake pedal is pressed, the vehicle captures that energy and “recharges the battery just by using momentum” without having the regenerative braking system on.

Other than that extra force felt when using the brakes, this EV felt much like a gas-powered cargo van.

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Overall impression of the 2025 Ford E-Transit

As with any work vehicle, how well it suits the fleet will depend on the way it will be used. However, for applications that travel around 100 miles per day, stop-and-go delivery or pickup, or urban travel, this van would make a perfect in-betweener for those looking to electrify their fleet without some of the hassles that come with learning an all-new vehicle.

Its familiarity will be welcomed by both drivers and upfitters, and its length of time on the market is a benefit, as well. The E-Transit has already logged real-world mileage in real fleets today, giving the electric cargo a leg up on competitors who are on their first-generation electric vehicles.