Ford's Transit Connect, named Green Car Journal's 2019 Commercial Green Car of the Year™ at the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show, is available in both cargo van and wagon variations. This popular commercial vehicle emerges as an all-new generation in 2019, with changes in its overall appearance at both ends and inside, through changes were minor. It continues to be offered in both short and long wheelbase versions. The larger van has more cargo volume and an increased payload capability of an additional 60 pounds over the smaller van's 1510 pounds. There are rear-door options - liftgate and panel truck style – as well as dual side doors. It’s available in XL and XLT trim.
Three engine choices are available, two of them new. One new offering is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, direct-injected flex-fuel (gasoline/E85 ethanol) engine producing 160 horsepower and 144 lb-ft torque, featuring 24 city/27 highway mpg. Also new is a 1.5-liter EcoBlue four-cylinder turbodiesel slated to arrive later in the model year. Auto stop/start is standard on both new engines. Six-speed automatic and new eight-speed automatic transmissions are offered. The Transit Connect’s carryover 2.5-liter Duratec four-cylinder engine features 169 horsepower and 171 lb-ft torque, delivering 20 city/27 highway mpg fuel economy. Fleet buyers can get the 2.5-liter engine prepped for propane or compressed natural gas conversions. The family of EcoBlue engines was developed by Ford engineering teams in the U.K. and Germany to replace the current Duratorq diesel engines. They offer improved fuel economy as well as reduced CO2 and NOX emissions.
Since connectivity is important, especially for fleet managers who use it to enhance productivity, the Transit Connect has a standard 4G LTE modem capable of connecting 10 devices to the internet. A charger for wireless devices and two USB ports are also standard.
This compact van’s list of standard driver-assist features includes pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, rear view camera, and automatic emergency braking with forward collision warning. Available systems include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver impairment monitor, and lane-keeping aid with lane departure warning. Standard Ford MyKey technologies allow fleet managers to preset warnings, set speed limits, and restrict audio volume. Also standard is a rear view camera, curve control, torque vectoring control, trailer sway control, and side-wind mitigation.
It used to be that light-duty commercial vans were all pretty much alike – boxy, unexciting, and devoid of the kind of features we expect in our everyday vehicles. That all changed six years ago when Ford brought its European Transit Connect panel van to the States as an all-new offering on our shores. Thus began a trend that now finds compact commercial vans one of the hottest trends in the industry.
Starting at an approachable $22,675, today’s Ford Transit Connect is offered in cargo or wagon configurations and in both short- and long-wheelbase. Both carry a 1,620 pound payload capacity and tow up to 2,000 pounds when properly equipped. The longer wheelbase model increases cargo capacity from the standard 104 cubic feet to 129 cubic feet. A choice of split rear cargo doors or a traditional rear liftgate is offered, with the split doors opening to 180 degrees. Twin sliding side doors are standard to enhance loading and unloading cargo or passengers. Needless to say, these are important features for delivery services and small business that must negotiate tight urban environs.
A base 169 horsepower, 2.5-liter Duratec four-cylinder engine powers the Transit Connect, with this engine now offering standard E85 flex-fuel capability in all but California emissions states. The flexible-fuel variant is capable of running on E85 (85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline), unleaded gasoline, or any blend of the two fuels. This engine can also be ordered for use with natural gas or LPG.
An optional 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine offers nine additional horsepower plus one additional mpg. The EcoBoost engine requires 93 octane fuel for peak performance. Both engines are coupled with a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. Depending on configuration and engine choice, city fuel economy is rated at 19-22 city mpg and 27-29 mpg on the highway.
The Transit Connect cargo van is available with optional second-row seating to increase versatility beyond cargo. The wagon version also features a versatile approach by delivering cargo capabilities along with five to seven passenger seating. It features more than 100 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded on the long-wheelbase model, plus the ability to carry a maximum 1,270 pound payload. All Transit Connect models feature first-row front and side airbags, first-row side curtain airbags, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Desired options are available including a rearview camera, 6.5-inch touch screen display with navigation, and SYNC with MyFord Touch, Ford’s voice-activated mobile communications and entertainment system. A perimeter alarm is included at no additional charge when available remote start is ordered. The perimeter alarm detects security threats through impact and shock sensors, activating an alarm to help protect vehicle contents. For fleets, Ford Telematics is also available to enable simultaneously monitoring several Transit Connects in real time, including location, speed, and excess idle duration to help track productivity and efficiency.
For most Americans, our transportation choices are limited to the fuels offered at the local gas station. For generations, regular gas stations served our needs pretty well, but America’s transportation needs are changing. Every day we learn about new choices in alternative fuel vehicles, advancements in vehicle efficiency, and new, cleaner types of fuel, so it’s bewildering that gas stations haven’t kept up with these changes. Gas stations today offer a fundamental lack of choices and are no longer in step with the way Americans seek to move about their lives.
With 160,000 fueling locations across America, gas stations outnumber McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Starbucks, and Taco Bell…combined. But as consumers’ transportation needs change, there is no effort by Big Oil to change with them. Fifty percent of the cars in Big Three showrooms are now capable of being powered by something besides oil. Domestically produced renewable fuels have surpassed imports from Saudi Arabia, and gas consumption is at a 10-year low – yet gas prices remain at all time record levels. Mobility is transforming in other ways with ride sharing, public transit, cycling, and telecommuting all on the rise. Yet still no change in our fueling infrastructure.
At Propel, we have created a new vision for the way gas stations serve the mobility needs of a community, one that meets the changing habits of America’s drivers. Earlier this year, we launched our first ‘Clean Mobility Center’ in Fullerton, California, to offer consumers new, more sustainable, domestic fuel and transportation choices that are more in line with their values, and also reduce our collective impact on the environment while supporting local economies and decreasing our nation’s reliance on foreign oil.
Our Clean Mobility Centers provide a distinctly different customer fueling experience, offering a full range of high performance renewable fuels (Flex Fuel E85, biodiesel) alongside the conventional gasoline that drivers use today. More than 17 million cars on American roads can fuel with something besides oil, and for those that can’t, we provide drivers an opportunity to be part of the solution and a movement towards clean mobility.
With a focus beyond fuel, our Clean Mobility Centers also offer a series of unique, community-friendly features not found at any other gas station in the nation. To maximize fuel economy, we offer free air to fill-up vehicle tires and we have installed bike repair stations so cyclists can tune up and fix bikes along their route. Additionally we have kiosks that provide local bus and other mass transit maps and routes, along with information about rideshare opportunities. Finally, we have two new features at the fueling island: recycling on the go, and the nation’s first carbon offset program, which for only $1 per fill-up allows drivers to offset the carbon emissions from their purchase right at the pump and support local clean energy projects.
Looking forward, as new, even more sustainable fuels and transportation options come to market, we’ll use the infrastructure we’re building today to offer new choices. In fact, we’re actively exploring options such as renewable gasoline and diesel, cellulosic fuels, algae-based fuels, natural gas, EV charging, and car sharing.
Just as we’ve seen in other industries, such as manufacturing labor, fair trade practices, or organic agriculture, consumer choice can be the biggest force for change in our society. At the pump, consumers can now vote with their wallets and choose a fuel company that better aligns with their values and interests. No matter what type of car they drive, consumers can use our new stations and learn about cleaner mobility options along the way. With 160,000 outlets and regular contact with customers, the fueling industry is in a unique position to engage consumers and lead them to a brighter future. So far, though, our industry hasn’t shown much leadership. America’s transportation needs are changing, and we believe it’s time our gas stations changed, too.
Matt Horton is CEO of Propel Fuels, www.propelfuels.com
The development and growth of the U.S. ethanol industry over the course of several decades has had concrete impacts on every day Americans. It is helping more than 400,000 of our friends and neighbors find work or keep the jobs they have. It is putting money back into consumers’ pockets by lowering gas prices by a national average of more than $1.00 and reducing the average American’s household gasoline bill by $1,200. Ethanol is now ten percent of America’s fuel supply and 25 percent of all the motor fuel produced from domestic resources, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and increasing our national security.
America consumes approximately 135-140 billion gallons of gasoline a year. More than 95 percent of those gallons were blended with ethanol, predominantly E10 (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline). America’s new fuel, E15 (15 percent ethanol, 85 percent gasoline), a cheaper and higher octane fuel than E10, is beginning to gain momentum in the marketplace.
Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska now have E15 being sold to model year 2001 and newer vehicles at a total of nine stations. E15 is approved for more than 65 percent of all vehicles on the road today, which consume about 80 percent of all unleaded fuel sold. Thus far, E15 sales have been nearly 20 percent of all sales at each station offering it today, quickly outpacing traditional premium volumes.
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is working in various states to remove the state level hurdles restricting the sale of E15. There are many fuel retailers and marketers nationwide who have been misinformed on costs, liability, and consumer demand revolving around E15. The RFA continues to correct this information by educating on why they should consider offering E15 and what the benefits are.
This includes the development of an E15 business case that will show impact to the bottom line for retailers considering adding this new product. Through a joint effort of the RFA and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), the Blend Your Own (BYO) Ethanol Campaign is also offering to educate retailers and marketers on E15, MLEBs, E85, and blender pumps through station visits and free online webinars.
The RFA is working diligently with the petroleum industry, gas retailers, automakers, and consumers to ensure E15 is used properly. RFA developed a model Misfueling Mitigation Plan (MMP) as required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for education and outreach on E15 and focused on the prevention of illegal use of E15 by consumers. This is the only EPA approved MMP and was deemed as sufficient on March 15, 2012. E15 Stakeholders can choose to adopt RFA’s model plan by notifying EPA of their intentions utilizing the RFA’s E15 retail and consumer resources.
Additionally, RFA has developed the E15 Retailer Handbook for evaluating existing infrastructure compatibility, safety and conversion practices, and state specific regulatory requirements. Specifically, the handbook offers guidance regarding: Federal regulatory requirements including blender registration, octane posting, proper pump labeling, compliance with an EPA approved fuel survey and OSHA regulations; state and local fuel and safety regulations; E15 conversion guidelines for fueling infrastructure; retail conversion procedures; E15 fuel specification and properties; transportation and storage requirements; and safety and firefighting procedures.
E15 remains the most tested fuel ever approved by EPA and is perfectly safe and effective for approved engines. Adding this fuel option to the marketplace allows consumers to make the decision of which fuel works best for them and their vehicle. Allowing for additional ethanol-blended fuel use will help to lower gas prices, create domestic jobs, reduce oil dependence, and accelerate the commercialization of new biofuel technologies.
Robert White is Director of Market Development at the Renewable Fuels Association, www.ethanolrfa.org
After spending four months in São Paulo, I’m taking a more expansive view of feasible policy options. Car ownership is still low in Brazil, but in wealthy São Paulo it’s far higher and growing at breakneck speed. Daily paralysis of major thoroughfares has led to implementation of a ‘rodízio’ prohibiting certain license plates from circulating each day during peak periods.
In terms of energy impacts, however, Brazil’s new automobiles have an edge over those in the U.S. More than 80 percent of light-duty vehicles sold last year were flex-fuel vehicles. Ethanol consumption varies greatly with price, but it accounted for close to 40 percent of car and light truck fuel consumed in 2010. And Brazil’s sugar-cane-based ethanol is said to be substantially less carbon-intensive than the corn ethanol used here.
In addition, the average fuel economy of Brazil’s vehicle stock is about 26 miles per gallon, in energy-equivalent terms, while the U.S. value stands at 23 miles per gallon. That’s largely a reflection of engine size, not technology – over 90 percent of the vehicles sold in Brazil in 2011 have engines of 2.0 liters or less. A tax differential of 18 percentage points between a 1.0-liter and a 2.5-liter engine helps to explain this. Plus, gasoline in Brazil costs about 40 percent more than in the U.S.
Now there’s a major new vehicle tax policy in the works, and it’s tied to fuel efficiency. With substantial and rapidly growing oil production, Brazil is a net petroleum exporter.
And climate change concerns are not driving policy at this time. So who’s worried about fuel economy? The President herself, along with the Ministry of Development and Commerce: the new tax regime would replace the 30 percent tax that Brazil slapped on imported vehicles last fall. That policy has come under fire at the World Trade Organization, and there’s a sense that that approach to keeping imports at bay won’t fly in the long run. So fuel efficiency is the new competitiveness policy for the Brazilian auto industry. Sound familiar?
Therese Langer is Transportation Program Director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, www.ACEEE.org
