Ford Transit Custom PHEV crowned International Van of the Year 2020!
Ford vans dominated at the International Van of the Year 2020 Awards claiming first and second spots with the new Ford Transit Custom PHEV and new Ford Transit Ecoblue Mild Hybrid van. Our team of new van experts at Vansdirect take a closer look!
An International Van of the Year 2020 to remember for Ford vans
The award was voted for by a panel of van experts including European Commercial Vehicle editors and expert journalists from no fewer than 25 countries, with the new Ford Transit Custom Hybrid vans comprehensively winning the vote with 97 points in total. The nearest challenger was also from the Ford vans stable, the new Ford Transit EcoBlue mild hybrid van with 54 points. Taking up the final spot in the top three was the new VW Transporter T6.1. Other new vans which were on the shortlist were the new Renault Master, Iveco Daily and Fiat Ducato vans.
Ford vans also claimed the International Pickup of the Year 2020 prize with the new Ford Ranger, fighting off competition from the Mitsubishi L200 in second place and Toyota Hilux in third.
Ford Transit Custom PHEV
Chairman of the International Van of the Year (IVOTY) Jury, Jariath Sweeney believes that Ford vans deserve significant credit in developing their range of hybrid vans and had the following to say following the announcement of the award:
"The jury appreciated the direction that Ford has taken to develop a viable drivetrain alternative that meets both urban and rural requirements in a most eco-friendly fashion. Its plug-in hybrid system is zero emission capable, with no range anxiety, has no compromise on payload or load volume and has a simple recharging regime. Basically the technology is designed to run on electric power for city trips - to help improve local air quality. No other manufacturer has gone down this alternative route, as yet."
There was obvious delight from the Ford vans camp on taking home the prestigious award, general manager Commercial Vehicles Ford of Europe commented:
"We are very proud that the IVOTY jury has singled out our Transit Custom Hybrid range for this prestigious award. Van operators need practical and efficient electrified vehicles that are tailored to their business needs, and our new Hybrid Transits offer a range of solutions to suit different customer use cases."
The new Ford Transit Custom PHEV brings zero emissions driving to the UK's best-selling new van, which combines an electric motor with an on-board generator in the form of a 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine to extend driving range. The Hybrid van offers a zero emissions range of 30 miles and a total range of 300 miles when making use of the range extender.
One thing that is particularly impressive about the new Ford van is that it can offer the same payload and load volume as standard diesel powered models, this is not always the case with hybrid and electric vans. Another impressive feature is the three EV drive modes: EV Auto, EV Now and EV Later, which enable you to get the most out of your Transit Custom in different environments.
The rev counter in the instrument cluster of the standard Ford Transit Custom van is replaced by a power gauge, whilst the engine temperature indicator is also replaced by a smaller gauge showing the state of charge of the battery.
Ford Ranger
Taking first and second places in the IVOTY 2020 awards wasn't enough for Ford vans who also claimed the Pickup of the Year 2020 prize with the new Ford Ranger pickup. Ford vans facelifted the iconic pickup truck in 2019 with the introduction with new more economical and more powerful engine options and a host of the latest safety technology. Visual changes to the Ranger were more subtle, however there is a revised front bumper and grille design with new paint options and LED daytime running lights on top spec models.
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