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By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 50

Full hybrid electrification was slow to reach the van market but uniquely, Ford offered it in plug-in form on its Transit Custom between 2019 and 2023. With this installation based around 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol power, there was a usable 35 mile all-electric range, decent load-carrying practicality and proper green credibility.

Modelsword count: 7

5dr medium/large van (1.0 EcoBoost PHEV petrol)

Historyword count: 141

Pollution in our cities won't be fully solved until vans as well as cars fully embrace electrification. But that won't happen until electrified LCV offerings become really credible. At the moment, there are a growing number of full-electric vans available, but their operating ranges are generally poor and their asking prices often unreasonably high. So what can a city-based business working to reduce its carbon footprint do right here, right now to make a difference? Perhaps consider the Plug-in Hybrid version of the Ford Transit Custom. It's very expensive in brand new guise, but could be affordable if you find a rare PHEV example of the first generation model, produced in this form based around a 1.0-litre EcoBoost three cylinder engine from 2019. In 2023, the Transit Custom PHEV was replaced by an all-new model with a larger 2.5-litre petrol engine.

What You Getword count: 181

There are no visual differences marking out the PHEV Transit Custom variant, so unless your customers happen to spot the unique badging or the charging flap, your company's green-minded LCV choice will go unnoticed. A van needs to look smart, modern and professional. This one does, with signature kinetic design features that bring quite a sporty stance and bold rising shoulder line, clearly marking out this design as a cargo carrier very much of its time. Inside, the cabin design on better-specced models features Ford's sophisticated 'SYNC 3' 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. This offers 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring, Bluetooth, audio and, if specified, navigational functions and delivers intuitive voice control too. The seats have been designed for decent support, materials quality is vastly better than you might expect and there's plenty of interior stowage around the cabin, primarily through the provision of three dash-top open stowage areas. As usual on a Transit Custom, there's a three-person seating layout and the centre backrest folds down to create a desk-top area. In addition, the seat base lifts to reveal extra storage capacity.

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