Ford has announced it will reveal its zero-emission, all-electric E-Transit – a new version of the company’s cargo van – on Nov. 12.
According to a new survey conducted in the U.S., U.K. and Germany, the public has increasingly expressed openness to delivery services operated by electric vehicles. The survey reported more than 60% of Americans and 68% of British citizens care about the environmental impact of vehicles used by delivery services. That’s a 12% increase in the U.S. alone since earlier in the year, when Ford conducted its initial survey.
In all three countries, more than half of respondents said they’d choose an electric-powered delivery service over a gas-powered one if price and arrival times were the same, with 54% in the U.S. and nearly 58% in the U.K. in agreement. Of those surveyed, 43% of Americans and almost 50% Brits said even if they have to wait longer for a delivery via zero-emissions vans, they would.
COVID-19 has contributed to the growth in e-commerce sales for Ford, which increased roughly 32% in the first quarter and 44% in the second quarter of 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Ford’s unveiling of the E-Transit on Nov. 12 aims to help cities around the world, as demand for home and business delivery grows, that are pledging to create emission-free zones in an attempt to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
