Production of the Ford E-Transit began in Europe this past April, but the all-electric van is also on sale in a number of places around the globe, including Mexico and the U.S., where it has dominated its segment since day one. After racking up orders and earning awards in Europe, however, the Ford E-Transit is now participating in a sustainable delivery pilot program in partnership with the City of London Corporation and DHL Supply Chain in London’s historic Billingsgate Market to explore ways to reduce traffic, improve air quality, and offer a better customer experience.
A grand total of 40 traders the market are participating in the pilot by using a variety of Ford Pro vehicles – including an E-Transit – to make deliveries across an 18 week period. The program actually started back in March and runs through next month, but has already reduced C02 emissions by an estimated 37 percent, cut 949 trips across congested London roads by pooling deliveries together, and reduced costs and improved efficiencies for businesses participating in the venture.
The seven refrigerated Ford Pro vehicles participating in this pilot are equipped with sensors that feed real-time data into Ford Pro Telematics and the FORDLiive connected uptime system to support fleet managers as they monitor the efficiency, condition, and health of the vehicles. This connected vehicle data helps Ford Fleet Management monitor and manage remaining oil life, AdBlue levels, and tire pressures to reduce the likelihood of unscheduled downtime. Fleet managers are also alerted to punctures or windshield damage and can schedule both service and repairs around operating hours to minimize the impact on deliveries.
“Bringing our expertise to bear alongside that of City of London and DHL Supply Chain has clearly shown how Ford Pro’s software-driven, sustainable solutions are solving problems for our customers – in this case helping the historic fish market combine its deliveries for greater efficiency and to help reduce congestion,” said Hans Schep, general manager, Ford Pro, Europe. “Ford Pro makes it easy for businesses to boost their productivity while operating more sustainably as we support their transition towards an electrified future.”
We’ll have more on the E-Transit soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford Transit news and continuous Ford news coverage.
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