Utilimaster has worked with Ford Pro to produce two pilot vehicles built on the all-electric Ford E-Transit chassis for customer testing.
As the chosen body provider for the Ford Pro E-Transit pilot program, Utilimaster has engineered its Velocity body to fit the E-Transit cutaway, the The Shyft Group’s Fleet Vehicles & Services business unit reported. One of the completed all-electric vehicles is comparable to Utilimaster’s Velocity F-Series for gas-powered Transit chassis fleet customers, but designed specifically for the E-Transit’s all-electric architecture. The other unit features a renewed Utilimaster route-delivery body often seen in the snack food industry.
“The delivery market continues to demand electric options for their fleets,” said Chad Heminover, president, Shyft Fleet Vehicles and Services. “We are confident our customers will value the benefits we can deliver by integrating the Ford all-electric E-Transit chassis with industry-leading delivery bodies and upfits.”
Utilimaster suggests its commitment to electrification is illustrated through its work on the Ford Pro pilot program.
“Our work on the Ford Pro E-Transit pilot program is just the beginning of our commitment to provide the same great Utilimaster work truck and van bodies to electric fleet vehicles from Ford and other manufacturers as they come to market,” said Heminover.
The pilot program vehicles are road ready and will be in use through 2023.