The Ford E-Tourneo Custom Is the EV Minivan We Deserve

The fully-electric Ford E-Tourneo Custom in Titanium X trim will sit at the top of the minivan’s lineup.Photo: Ford

The Ford E-Tourneo Custom is headed for release in Europe next summer, as Ford’s EV strategy marches on abroad and leaves the U.S. lagging behind. The EV minivan is based on the E-Transit Custom, which is no longer going to be a commercial model exclusively, or wild concept, but will be sold as passenger van with a number of drivetrain options, including a plug-in hybrid.

The E-Tourneo Custom is supposed to woo potential buyers of the VW ID. Buzz, as Automotive News reports. But Ford’s planning to attract SUV buyers with a few E-Tourneo trims as well, including the Active and upper range Titanium X. Ford Europe has not released any word on pricing just yet.

Photo: Ford

The fully-electric minivan will have an estimated range of 230 miles in the top trim Titanium X, which is significantly less than the 320-mile range of the Ford F-150 Lightning. Of course, the Lightning can’t seat up to eight people in a wide open cabin that looks like the perfect place for a road trip. And speaking of road trip, the E-Tourneo will come with amenities for both drivers and passengers, such as a wireless charging pad that fits up to nine devices.

And the Tourneo’s passenger capacity goes up from eight to nine in models that don’t require any space for the big battery in the fully-electric version; that means that the new plug-in hybrid minivan will fit more passengers, while pairing a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine with an electric motor powered by an 11.8 kWh battery pack. The Tourneo Custom PHEV will get up to 31 miles of range before switching to the gasoline-powered engine, which is plenty for short runs around town.

Photo: Ford

Photo: Ford

For those who’d rather do without the EV or PHEV drivetrains, Ford will also introduce three diesel-powered models with output that steps up from 128 to 148 to 168 horsepower. The two lower-powered diesels will be available with a manual transmission because Europe, and AWD is also an option.

The E-Tourneo is the headliner of the upcoming release, however, as it’s the EV minivan that the world deserves — all of it, not just the EU. It really seems like Ford is hesitant to let its commercial and, now, passenger EV minivan steal any of the F-150 Lightning’s thunder. The two vehicles don’t really overlap but they use the same battery packs and have similar features, including the ability to power devices directly from their batteries. Ford also says the E-Tourneo will tow up to 4,400 pounds, give or take. That sounds like a versatile vehicle.

Photo: Ford

Photo: Ford